Resurrection
by YamiSeirei
Summary: Ten years after Yami has left him, Yugi has searched and found a way to bring him back but will he succeed? Lime in later chapters COMPLETED!
1. Chapter 1 Discoveries

Yami Seirei: Psst Yami it's your line…

Yami: Huh? How you get the same name as me?

Yugi: That's cause she's dark like you

Yami: Oh ok. Hmm the disclaimer….Yami Seirei doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh, if she did I would be her koi.

Yugi: What you mean 'her koi' You're mine!

Yami Seirei: Sssh Yugi he belongs to you don't worry! You can do the warning k?

Yugi: Huh okay. This ficcy contains yaoi between Yami and me but it's very mild and probably won't include a lemon. She has promised to write a lemon in a future fic but after much debating has decided to leave it out of this one. There I did it! Aren't I good?

Yami Seirei: Yes you're very good 

Yami: Please review this story peeps Yami Seirei would really appreciate it! Uh that sounds kinda weird when I say it.

Yugi Yami Seirei: hehe

Okay to the story…..

Resurrection

Chapter one – Discoveries

A young man in his mid twenties sat at a desk sorting through papers and photographs of artefacts that were spread out before him. There was no room for anything else on the desk there were so many papers but the man seemed to be getting impatient.

"I'm so close, I know it." He mumbled to himself.

The young man's appearance was unusual to look at. His hair was stuck out at points on his head and there were golden bangs round his face. The rest of his hair was black and edged in a deep red colour. He ran a frustrated hand through it and thumped the table. A photograph, which had been hidden under all the papers fell and clattered to the floor noisily. With a loud exclamation the young man hurriedly got out of his chair and rushed round to retrieve the fallen picture. The glass in the frame had broken and he cursed under his breath.

"Dammit."

He removed the picture from the frame and pressed it close to his chest a pained look crossing his face to be followed by one of extreme loss and sadness. He closed his eyes and allowed his memories to surface taking him back to a night ten years ago…

Across a chasm two duellists faced off. They looked almost exactly the same apart from one had extra golden streaks in his hair. One was the spirit of a pharaoh who had lived 5000 years before and who had been resurrected when the duellist facing him had solved an ancient puzzle and awakened his spirit. The two had worked their way through many adventures and defeated many powerful enemies together and had found the true meaning of friendship as well as each other. Now they faced each other in a duel the outcome of which could mean life or death for either of them. The pharaoh's memories had been awakened when all seven millennium items had been placed together alongside three special 'God' cards from the ancient game Duel Monsters. These items all together had reminded the pharaoh of his rise to power and he wanted to rule again! However in order to do so he had to have a body and two souls could not remain in one body. This was a duel to decide who would live and who would die. The pharaoh's name was Yami and the one facing him was called Yugi.

Yugi looked across at Yami facing him but this was not the Yami whom he had come to love and trust, this was a different person facing him. Yugi was not sure if he could get through to him in his state of mind but on the other hand if he won and Yami went away he didn't know how he would cope with the loss of his 'aribou' (partner) He didn't know what to do.

Yami across the gap from him looked at the young and seemingly frail boy. Yami struggled to think. This boy was important to him but how? Gaining the world was important wasn't it? Or was it? Something didn't feel right. He was battling for the right to a body and to be able to stay here but something wasn't fitting into place and he knew that the one who looked like him had something to do with it. What was it? He wondered why he was stalling like this. He had two powerful monsters on the field and the other had none. He could take his life points down right now but something was holding him back. The other was standing on his platform head bowed in defeat waiting for the final strike but for reasons unbeknown to himself, Yami did not want to hurt him. Why was this? He was pharaoh wasn't he? Yami frowned trying to think. Maybe he should give the other a chance to fight for a little longer? His presence here, it felt wrong somehow. Yami argued with himself and a sudden memory – a recent one came to the fore of himself talking to the one opposite and a feeling of friendship. What was this? Could they have been friends? They did look remarkably alike and Yami's eyebrows knitted together as he tried to remember more. Another flashback of the two of them duelling together came to him and then another of Yami holding the other in his arms as he lay his life briefly departed while in the Shadow Realm.

"Yugi?"

The one across looked up in surprise. Hadn't Yami forgotten everything?

"Yami, do you remember me?"

Yami nodded as more memories came to him including one from the night before Yami had got his memories back. It was of himself and Yugi and they were in each other's arms telling each other they would be there for each other no matter what.

"Yes Yugi I remember, I remember everything."

Yugi smiled but the smile was wiped from his face when he remembered where they were.

"Yami the duel! One of us has to go and I don't want to lose you."

"Nor I you. But there is no other way." Yami lowered his eyes. What could he do? He didn't want to leave Yugi not now he'd remembered his feelings for him and he didn't want Yugi to go either. But Yugi deserved a chance at life. His had been 5000 years ago as the pharaoh. Yugi's life was here, now his own life was long gone. Yami set his face and looked up.

"I set one card face down and end my turn!" he declared and the set card appeared in front of him.

Yugi looked on in shock. He had expected to be hit and all his life points to be gone. Yami had said he remembered, could it be he remembered their true feelings for each other? Yugi could think of no other explanation for it and hoped he was right.

He drew a card and played it.

"I play swords of revealing light!" which prevented Yami from attacking for three turns. Across the chasm Yami smiled and nodded mentally urging him to not give up. He knew Yugi could do it he just hoped he would get the right cards. He wanted Yugi to win but he wanted Yugi to win by reducing his life points to zero rather than Yami surrendering.

Yugi looked at the cards in his hand and frowned looking very much like Yami for a moment and he concentrated on his next move. He had 500 life points and Yami had 750, it would take only one good monster but what if the card Yami set face down was a trap card? He suspected it was and wondered what to do.

"I play Return of the Doomed." He declared and discarded one of his monster cards with a low attack level so he could bring back the Dark Magician from his graveyard. He set a card face down and ended his turn.

Yami was pleased with Yugi's move and as there was little he could do he drew a card and ended his turn.

Yugi drew and ordered Dark magician to attack one of Yami's monsters but Yami activated his trap card Mirror Force, which would reflect Dark Magician's attack back at him. Yugi was waiting for it though and activated his own trap card Trap Jammer which negated the effect of Mirror Force and Yami's monster was hit destroying him and reducing his life points to zero.

Yugi won but he felt empty. His win meant Yami had to go and he didn't want him to. He wanted Yami to stay and hold him in his arms and tell him everything was going to be okay, just as he had a few nights previously. Yami had kissed him tenderly and told him that no matter what happened he would always love him.

Yugi stood the victor and choked back a sob. The platforms descended to the ground and Yugi rushed over to Yami who held out his arms to him. Yugi ran into them and Yami wrapped his arms round him.

"I don't have much time left Yugi."

A sob came in reply.

"I don't want you to go Yami, I..I love you."

"I know but I have to. Maybe one day you will discover a way for me to return who knows? But now I must leave. I lost the duel and we cannot both exist at this time."

Yugi sighed heavily. "I know. I swear to you Yami that one day I will find a way to bring you back. I must, life isn't worth anything without you."

"Yugi will you hold me? I am fading and I want your face to be the last thing I see."

The tears were falling freely now from Yugi's eyes as they shifted position and Yugi was holding Yami in his arms. Silence descended on them both as they waited for the inevitable to happen. Words were not needed to express themselves their eyes were enough. Yugi's tears ran down his face and wet his shirt but he didn't care.

With a last sigh, Yami's eyes closed and he lay still in Yugi's arms. Yugi held him close as his body faded and finally vanished completely.

Yugi was left with nothing in his arms and he threw his head back and howled in pain and despair before curling into a ball on the floor.

It was to be a long time before his tears subsided and he emerged from his ball to dry his eyes and resolve to set his path. Even if it took him the rest of his life, he was going to bring his love back. He swore it with all his heart. There had to be a way! And he was going to find it. He uncurled from his ball and looked at the floor. He frowned.

"What the…?" On the floor he spotted two gold bands. He picked them up and examined them. Yami's bracelets! But how? How had they been left behind?

Yugi did not understand it but one thing was for sure he was never letting them go! He slipped them onto his wrists where they stayed a perfect fit for him. Maybe until he found a way to bring Yami back, these bracelets would help him to see Yami in his dreams. This thought gave him a little comfort and with a new purpose, he left the battle place and had returned home.

Present day Yugi put the photograph down and wiped at his eyes. The Yami in the photograph stared up at him, his frown ever present and Yugi whispered,

"Soon we will be together, I believe I have found a way."

The Yami in the photo stared back seemingly unchanging but then Yugi noticed that the corners of his mouth seemed to turn upwards in a slight smile. Yugi blinked in surprise but when he looked again the photo had gone back to the way it always had been. Was it his imagination? Or had the photo really changed? He would never know but it gave him new hope that somewhere Yami was watching over him.

He hoped that this plan would work or ten years of research would be down the drain.

He went over to his desk and unlocked it. He took out and ornately carved box and unlocked that. Inside was the pieces of his millennium puzzle and his Duel Monsters deck. He hadn't played Duel Monsters since that night ten years ago, he just couldn't face duelling without Yami by his side. He didn't need Yami to win of course but after he had gone it just didn't feel right.

He stroked the cards for a moment promising them that they would duel again with him and moved his hands over to the pieces of his puzzle.

He had broken the puzzle up the night Yami had left him, unable to have it as a constant reminder and yet unable to do anything else with it other than keep it locked up. The puzzle, his deck and the two bracelets he still wore were the only things he had linking him to Yami and he treasured them.

He removed the pieces from the box and began to assemble them once more. The time had come for the puzzle to be whole again as it was this and the other six millennium items he needed in order to bring his beloved back to him. There were other requirements but for now the puzzle needed to be made whole again.

The pieces fell into place easily for him and he wondered why on earth it had taken him 8 years the first time round. But then it had only taken him a couple of minutes while a fire raged.

He held up the completed puzzle a tiny part of him hoping to feel Yami returning to him but nothing happened and sighing, he hung the puzzle round his neck and gathering the scattered paperwork into a reasonable pile, he stuffed them into his briefcase and left the apartment. Ishizu was going to be surprised to see him…


	2. Chapter 2 Awakening

Chapter 2 - Awakening

Ishizu was reading a book when her doorbell went. She was living as an ordinary citizen and had discarded the clothes she used to wear in favour of jeans and top. She put the book down grumbling that it had better be important as the story was just getting really good.

She opened the front door and gasped. Talk about long time no see.

"hello Ishizu."

"Yugi! W..What are you doing here?"

"can I come in?"

"Yes, yes of course, can I get you a drink?"

"Ah coffee would be lovely."

"Great make yourself at home. It's good to see you."

"It is good to see you too, It's been so long."

"Yes but you don't need to make excuses I know why."

Yugi smiled gratefully at her and followed her into the kitchen. A few minutes later they both had coffee and were seating themselves in comfortable chairs in Ishizu's lounge.

"So what have you been doing these last ten years Yugi?"

"Research. After that day I vowed to find a way to bring him back." Yugi didn't have to tell Ishizu who 'He' was, she knew perfectly well how he felt though no one else had.

"You found a way?"

"Yes, but I need your help, and the millennium items."

"You serious? It's too dangerous what if using them allows evil to come back?"

Yugi sighed deeply. He had asked himself the same question over and over since he'd found a way to bring Yami back to him and he knew it was a huge risk.

"I know it's risky, it could also mean my own death but I have to try Ishizu. He is my other half, I am not whole without him there. You know I haven't duelled since that day? I cannot do it I need him too much."

Ishizu knew he hadn't duelled since then. His name now a mere legend to be passed on from Duel Monsters coaches to their eager pupils. The story of Yugi and how he and his darker self had defeated a great evil and saved the world by duelling. But that's all he was merely a legend. His strategies were taught though Yugi himself had never taught anyone – he just couldn't face it. He had been so lonely without his Yami.

"I have to do this Ishizu." He clenched his fists and Ishizu knew he would go ahead and try whatever it was he needed to do with or without her.

"Okay I'll help you Yugi." She sighed wondering what on earth she was getting herself into and Yugi cheered up at once.

"Really? Thanks so much!"

Ishizu sat down next to him and put her hands on his shoulders.

"You deserve to have him back Yugi. One as devoted as you should be allowed a little happiness. Now then tell me what we need."

"Well I discovered this way about three weeks ago when I was going through an ancient manuscript I discovered. We need the millennium items, a special dagger and plate that were sealed in Yami's tomb with him. We also need his mummified body which should still be preserved."

"Hmm not much then…" Ishizu grinned and he had to smile. "We should be able to get everything. I know the ancient rites to unseal his tomb. When do you want to leave?"

"As soon as possible."

"Okay we'll leave on the next available flight. Make sure you've got everything we need."

"Yes I'll call you when I've booked and pick you up for the airport."

"I'll be ready."

It was two days before they boarded a flight to Egypt. Yugi had his case with all his papers in it as well as Yami's photograph. He had on as always Yami's bracelets and his anticipation of seeing Yami again after so long was so strong that Ishizu could almost touch it. He stared out of the window going over and over in his mind how the ritual worked, the results of which could mean Yami's resurrection – or his own death.

They booked into their hotel and retired early knowing that they had a long day ahead of them tomorrow. Yugi slept with the photograph next to him on the pillow praying with all his heart that after tomorrow it would be the real Yami sharing his bed.

They rose early and left the hotel before the chefs had even started the guests breakfasts. They took the car that they had hired the previous day and headed for the site of yami's tomb.

They arrived a little after midday and both of them were hot and sweaty.

"I'll be glad to go underground, this heat is terrible."

Ishizu agreed wholeheartedly and they gathered the things they needed swiftly before descending into the underground tunnel that led to the tomb.

It was a long way underground and they had to light the special orbs they had brought in order to see where they were going.

"We're here."

Ishizu had halted in front of an ornate wall carved with the millennium items. This was where they had been returned to after that night ten years ago.

Ishizu began the ritual chant which would open up the door and allow them to enter. This was the outer section of the tomb. The inner section contained the mummified body of his beloved.

The wall opened to reveal a room with a table on it. There was a casket on the table and Yugi opened it to reveal the millennium items inside it. He gathered them up and gave three of them to Ishizu to hold.

They closed the casket and moved towards the back of the chamber where there was another door, which led to the actual tomb. Again Ishizu uttered the words and the door creaked and groaned before finally opening to let them through.

Yugi cautiously went through the door wondering what he would see. He remembered that Pharaoh's used to be buried with treasure and such like but the only treasure he wanted was in the sarcophagus he hoped was inside this room. Then he saw it.

It was overlain in gold and as he approached he could see by the light of his orb that the face of the pharaoh was carved onto the front. He drew in his breath and looked at Ishizu who nodded holding up the required dagger and plate that they needed.

Yugi took a moment to take in the rest on the tomb and was surprised to see that there was no other treasure in the room apart from the dagger and plate.

Yugi didn't care he had found what he came for.

"We have to take him to the rituals room, it's not far."

"Alright, how are we going to move him? This is too heavy for us to manage on our own."

"We'll have to take the body out and carry him."

"Okay give me a hand with this lid."

The two of them managed to get the lid off and set it to one side. The casket had been airtight and the body inside was protected and preserved. Yugi looked down at the pharaoh's body all wrapped in bandages and marvelled at the preservation skills of the Egyptians.

He leaned over and lifted the body out very gently cradling it against his chest and followed Ishizu out of the chamber and down the corridor further into the earth.

The room they headed for was indeed not very far from the tomb and there was a single dias in the middle with a table set atop it.

Yugi walked up to the table and laid Yami's body gently on it. Preserved or not, he did not want to damage it before Yami's soul returned to it.

"You had better take the bandages off his face or he might be worried if he can't see when he wakes up."

Yugi nodded and very carefully removed the bandages revealing the face of his beloved – his Yami.

"Soon now." He whispered and put the bandages to one side before turning to Ishizu. "It's time."

Together they set the plate at the head of the table on the floor and began to slot the millennium items into the right places on it. The millennium puzzle which was round Yugi's neck was the last piece and he took it off and placed it into its slot.

Yugi stood and climbed onto the table above Yami. Ishizu handed him the dagger and he readied himself.

Ishizu began to chant and as she did a ring of energy surrounded Yami and Yugi. Without this energy to sustain him, the next part of the ritual would kill him. He began to speak his part of the ritual, which he had learned off by heart whereas Ishizu was having to read from the sheets of paper Yugi had given her before they started.

The glow of the energy intensified as Yugi prepared to plunge the dagger into his own stomach. The ritual to return a spirit to it's own body required the blood of one whom they loved to enter them. Coupled with this was the need for the seven millenium items to provide the sustaining energy Yugi was going to need in order to survive the blood loss and the dagger itself which had a blade on both ends.

Ishizu came to the point in the ritual where she had to stop chanting so that Yugi could carry out the next part. Yugi ended his part of the ritual chant and taking a deep breath plunged the dagger into his stomach making a deep wound. He cried out in pain as it pierced his internal organs but he gritted his teeth. It was worth it he knew it.

He leaned over the body and the other end of the dagger pierced it and his blood ran into Yami. The circle of energy continued to encircle them almost blocking the view from Ishizu who began to chant the third part of the ritual to draw Yami's spirit back to him.

Though he was losing blood, Yugi still felt strong and was glad of the ring of energy though he knew he would probably pass out when it was gone, for now he was sustained. He looked down at Yami whose body was beginning to glow as the ritual began to work it's magic on him. Yugi waited while more of his blood ran into Yami to strengthen him as much as possible.

"Yugi take the dagger out now." Ishizu's voice came to him and he lifted himself off Yami taking the dagger with him as it was still imbedded in his stomach. Gritting his teeth again, he pulled out the dagger and dropped it before tumbling off the table and onto the floor in pain.

He had fallen out of the ring of energy and without it's protection he lapsed into unconsiousness.

The final part of the ritual was over and Ishizu began another chant – one of healing to heal up Yugi or he was going to die from internal bleeding. She placed her hand over his wound and chanted.

Yami stirred and opened his eyes and then immediately shut them again. That was painful! Why did the light hurt him? He didn't know. The last thing he remembered was looking up into Yugi's face before he closed his eyes…

'Wait a minute' he thought, 'I was supposed to have vanished as a result of that duel we had and Yugi won. So why am I now here?' He tried to move but couldn't. He was a spirit wasn't he? So why couldn't he move?

A sound came from his throat, a sort of choked cry as he tried to attract attention from somewhere – anywhere. He still couldn't open his eyes they felt so sore.

A hand brushed his brow and he heard a familiar voice. Ishizu!

"Hush my pharaoh don't try and move, your body cannot take it just yet. It needs time to get strong again."

"uuuh." Managed Yami from somewhere in his throat. It felt so dry. Isizu's words sunk in then.

'My body?' he thought 'How is it I have a body? How, when?' He felt strange. To not be a part of Yugi's mind was going to feel weird after so long. He began to wonder how long it was since the battle. It only felt like a few minutes ago yet he knew it had to have been longer.

As Yami lay there thinking, Yugi on the floor began to stir and open his eyes. He saw Ishizu standing next to the table and put his hand down to where he had stabbed himself. Through the hole in his clothes he could feel that his wound had closed up and he was thankful to Ishizu's healing powers.

"Ishizu?"

She turned and knelt beside him on the ground.

"Yes Yugi?"

"Did we succeed?"

Ishizu smiled. "Come and see."

She helped him to his feet and he wobbled about a bit still suffering somewhat from his loss of blood and turned him to face the table.

Yugi took in the pinkish tinge of his skin whereas before it had been grey and the steady rise and fall of his chest, which was still wrapped in bandages. They had succeeded and his Yami, his beautiful Yami was alive and restored to him Yugi's heart leapt. He had waited so long.

"Yami?"

"Uuuh" came the reply and Yugi looked worriedly at Ishizu.

"Don't worry it's because his throat is so dry, here." She unscrewed a bottle of water and Yugi wetted his fingers before running then over Yami's lips.

Yami heard Yugi's voice and tried to respond but still couldn't manage to speak but he felt the drops of water touch his lips and tried to move his tongue to get them. His tongue felt like it was a piece of carpet it was so dry so he could only move it a little but Yugi kept giving him drops of water and eventually he could move his tongue better and stuck it out of his mouth a little asking for more water as his throat was still really dry.

"You think you could drink a little?"

Yami moved his head slightly in a nodding movement and Yugi gently lifted his head up and held the bottle to his lips. He let a small amount into Yami's mouth and down his throat so as not to choke him and Yami revelled in the cool liquid as it ran down and lubricated the dryness. Yugi gave him a little at a time and soon all the dryness was gone and Yami felt much better.

"Yugi." He managed and Yugi smiled. Yami realised his body was exhausted from the effort of drinking the water and he relaxed against Yugi. Again he wondered just how long it had been. He still had not opened his eyes and seen Yugi who looked significantly older than he had done last time Yami had seen him. He drifted off into sleep and Yugi lay down next to him on the table and fell asleep too. He was happy beyond words. His Yami was back in his arms where he belonged and remembered him. This had also been a concern of Yugi's but he need not have worried. He closed his eyes and slept.


	3. Chapter 3 Return of a Rival

Chapter 3 – Return of a rival

Yami stirred as a soft hand stroking his face roused him from sleep. Something warm and damp was moving over his eyes. He could feel that the lids were looser than they had been yesterday. He allowed the fingers dealing the dampness to carry on for a few minutes enjoying the touch that was soft and so gentle. He opened his eyes slightly.

"Hello sleepyhead." Said a voice that he knew very well.

"Mmm." He said through parched lips. His throat and mouth felt like a dessert again.

The damp caressing fingers worked their way into his mouth wetting the inside with drops of water, before removing themselves and returning with more water, which the owner of the fingers ran round the inside of his mouth making it wetter.

The former pharaoh sucked on the fingers a little savouring the water and after a few minutes he began to feel better.

He opened his eyes and looked up right into the eyes of the only one her had ever loved.

"Yugi." He said and the one above him smiled.

"How are you feeling?" inquired Yugi and then berated himself for such a corny question.

"I don't know." Said Yami, "I feel like I haven't moved for a long time."

"Yes five thousand years to be precise." Yugi smiled. "You are restored to your original body from your days as pharaoh."

"I am? How?" His body? He had his own body? Yami was amazed. Yugi continued.

"I discovered a ritual in an ancient manuscript and had to try it – I had to bring you back somehow even if it cost me my life trying."

"Your own life?" Yami stared at his light. 'he would have died just for a chance to bring me back.' He thought. "What did the ritual involve?" He asked out loud.

"I had to use the dagger from your tomb."

Yami remembered the dagger. Vicious object it was being pointed at both ends and used for ritual sacrifices.

"That dagger. You mean?"

"Yes the ritual required the blood of one whom the other loves to feed the body and draw back the soul."

Yami looked up at his light able to see him better now his eyes were properly opened.

"You look older, how long has it been?"

"Ten years."

"Ten years?"

"Yes, but had it taken me 50 years I would never have given up my aribou. I searched the earth for a way to bring you back."

If Yami had had any spare liquid in his body he was sure, tears would have appeared in his eyes at those words, instead he smiled.

"I'd say I've missed you except it only seems like yesterday since I last saw you."

"I wondered whether that would be the case. I'm just glad to see and hear you again. I'd forgotten just how much I love your voice and I feared it would never happen.

Yami began to move around on the table top and tried to move his arms and legs. He found he could lift his arms but his legs wouldn't budge.

"Ahh I can't move my legs Yugi."

"Well your body needs time to get back to working order, you can't expect to be dancing around in a body that hasn't moved for five millennia can you?"

Yami chuckled,

"You're right, I shall have to be patient." He lifted his arms up and saw the bandages. "I must be the first mummy that's been brought back to life. Those mummies you fought when Anubis made a comeback would be jealous!"

Yugi giggled and then shuddered as he recalled his time trapped in the millennium puzzle while Yami nearly died during a duel with Kaiba.

"Do you still duel aribou?"

"I haven't in ten years, it just wasn't the same with you gone. We're a legend you know. I did bring our deck with me in case you wanted to see it again."

Yami grinned.

"A legend eh? Well maybe we can brush up on our duelling skills again and show then what a real duellist is made of! Speaking of duellists, have you seen Kaiba?"

"Not since you vanished – he vanished himself. There was a big search ordered by Mokuba but no trace was found of him."

"What happened to Mokuba?"

"He lives in the mansion as far as I know surrounded by photos of his brother and sees no one. I did try going to see him to see if I could help but he didn't want to know. I felt sorry for him because I knew what he was going through – though I didn't tell him why I just said I missed you like a brother."

Yami reached up and stroked Yugi's face and he leaned into it before moving his head down and placing a kiss on Yami's lips and then standing up again.

"I've missed you so much." He breathed. "I waited so long for that."

"Then let's make it really worth it." Said Yami and he reached up sliding his hand round Yugi's neck and drawing him in for a deep and passionate kiss.

Yugi groaned into the kiss and ran his hands through Yami's tri-coloured hair loving the feel of it through his fingers. The kiss lasted a long time until they were interrupted by a cough.

They reluctantly broke apart and looked to see Ishizu smiling at them.

"You're feeling better I see my pharaoh." She said. "I hate to be the bearer of bad news but we have a long drive back to the hotel and we should leave as soon as possible."

Yugi sighed not wanting to break the moment but he knew she was right.

"I'll have to carry you." He said to Yami and the former pharaoh nodded not really minding being carried by his aribou he rather liked the idea of being in his arms.

"We should return these to the casket." He said indicating the millennium items.

Ishizu nodded and gathered up the tray with the six remaining items on it after Yugi had retrieved his puzzle and returned it to it's place round his neck.

"I left this in pieces until the other day, it feels good to wear it again."

"You wouldn't be the same without it." Smiled Yami.

Yugi went to fetch a blanket and when he returned began to remove all the bandages from Yami's body. This made shivers run down his spine as he worked his way down but he was wary of Ishizu returning so he covered Yami up with the blanket and removed the rest. Carefully he wrapped Yami in the blanket and lifted him into his arms.

"You okay?"

"I am now." Yami smiled and rested his head on Yugi's chest. Yugi held his dark close to him. He felt so comfortable and was fully worth the pain that was still in his stomach. He shifted Yami a bit and pain stabbed at the wound.

"Aahh." He groaned and winced. Yami looked at him sharply.

"Yugi what's wrong?"

"I had to stab my stomach to feed blood to your body and I guess Ishizu's healing didn't heal it completely."

"Put me down, I'll make my legs work!"

"No, I'll be fine – really"

Yami knew he couldn't really walk no matter how much he wanted to he still felt so weak.

"Alright if you're sure."

"I'm sure."

Ishizu came back having sealed the millenium items back in the room inside the casket where they would be safe.

"Let's go." She said and Yugi followed her out of the room cradling Yami in his arms. It felt so right and he felt completely happy at this moment. His dark was back with him and had his own body so now they could express their love in ways they never could before.

They emerged into sunlight, which temporarily blinded them especially Yami who cried out in pain as his eyes couldn't cope with it. He turned his face into Yugi's chest to hide from the sun and Yugi held him tighter as his own eyes tried to get used to the light.

"YUGI MOUTO!" shouted a voice and Yugi dimly saw a figure walking towards him and thought he recognised the voice.

"I've waited ten years for this moment Yugi." Then Yugi knew who it was.

"Seto Kaiba! I thought you vanished?"

"You thought wrong Yugi, you see I researched your pharaoh and found out all about him and the millennium items. I have been watching you from a hidden location and know all about you and your little friend there. Looks a bit weak doesn't he? I'm not surprised after five thousand years! And it's no wonder you kept defeating me when you had extra help you cheating slimeball! I also know you haven't duelled in ten years and will be well out of practice."

"You're wrong Kaiba, I never cheated. The pharaoh's soul is part of me, my dark side – he emerges to duel because Duel Monsters is a dark game."

"Don't give me that crap Yugi, I have waited for this time – knowing you would eventually find a way to bring your pharaoh back and this time he won't be able to help you! Amateur."

"Kaiba I don't have time for your pathetic revenge games! Please let us be on our way. We can do this at a later date."

"Sorry Yugi that's not possible. You see I can't let you leave here as I need her to open the sealed tomb and give me the millennium items. They will be mine and I will own their power! Then I will regain my title of the world's greatest duellist and the 'Great Yugi' will be nothing more than a memory."

"Kaiba STOP this is insane! You have no idea how powerful those items are. And why have you hidden yourself away for ten years? What about Mokuba?"

Kaiba's face clouded.

"It was necessary, I couldn't let you know I was still around and watching you in case you abandoned your search for the pharaoh's tomb – I needed you to show me exactly where it was so I could claim the items – I was hoping to reach here before you performed your ritual and revived the pharaoh. I wanted to take that away from you – make you suffer as I have suffered. As for Mokuba, he loves me as a brother and will stick by me no matter what"

Yugi was enraged. How dare he even think such a thing? And how could he do such a thing to his own little brother who thought the world of him? 'Does he hate me so much?' He knew the answer to that.

"I don't have a Duel Disk." Poor excuse he knew but he was stalling for time so he could think up a plan.

"I brought a spare" Kaiba smirked. "I trust you have your deck, if not I took the liberty of…"

"I brought my deck." Growled Yugi. He looked down at Yami who was still hiding his face from the sun.

"I have to do this, I cannot allow Kaiba to get those items."

Yami nodded and Yugi walked over to where there was a shaded spot in between some rocks. There he laid Yami down gently.

"Ishizu please stay with him." Said Yugi and he winced from the pain in his wound again.

"That paining you?" Ishizu was looking worried.

"A little but I'll be okay. I have to win this duel." His face set, Yugi got up and walked to stand opposite Kaiba who threw him a duel disk. Yugi put it on and activated it.

From their places, Yami and Ishizu watched worry plain in their expressions. 'You can do this Yugi.' Yami silently urged.

Yugi and Kaiba stepped up into duelling positions after cutting their decks.

"LET'S DUEL!"


	4. Chapter 4 Race Against Time

Chapter 4 – Race against time

Yugi and Kaiba faced off and Kaiba smirked.

"You're finished Yugi, I'm going to slaughter you."

Yugi felt the pain stab his stomach again and put his hand to it. When he took it away again there was blood on his hand. His wound had opened again. He realised that carrying Yami had made it open again.

"Please Kaiba I can't do this I need, we need medical attention."

But Kaiba wasn't listening.

"This won't take me long and when I have defeated you at last, I will have what I want and you can go."

Yugi knew he'd have to do this whether he was bleeding or not. Yami watched from his shady spot fear reflected clearly on his features. Ishizu shook her head in disbelief. Why hadn't Yugi's wound healed properly? She couldn't figure it out. She had to get both of them to a hospital as soon as possible.

"I summon Desferal Imp!" shouted Kaiba and the monster appeared in front of him. "And I'll place this card face down."

Yugi looked at his cards.

"I summon Dark Magician Girl in attack mode!" She appeared in front of Yugi and he shouted, "Dark Magician Girl attack!"

"Hold it Yugi, I activate trap card Curse of Anubis which causes my Desferal Imp to switch to defence mode!"

Dark magician Girl's attack hit Desferal Imp and destroyed it but Kaiba's life points remained intact.

Yugi frowned and set one card face down before ending his turn. He could feel blood running down his stomach and he hoped this wouldn't last too long. There was a six-hour drive across the desert to face but maybe Ishizu could heal him enough to make it to a hospital. Yami watched as he saw blood begin to drip from Yugi's trouser leg and silently implored Kaiba to have mercy and stop the duel but when he looked at Kaiba's face he saw nothing but the face and eyes of a madman.

'He's not going to stop even if he kills Yugi in the process' he thought horrified. 'Come on Yugi you can beat him.'

But Yugi was out of practice and Kaiba was able to destroy two of his monsters. Yugi was getting weaker by the minute and struggling to stay upright.

"Kaiba stop please! Can't you see Yugi needs medical help?" Ishizu was calling out to Kaiba but he ignored her pleas.

"Quiet woman! He can go as soon as I've crushed him into the dirt like the dog he is!"

All Yami and Ishizu could do was to watch as Yugi carried on managing to destroy another of Kaiba's monsters but activating it's special ability to allow Kaiba to summon a dragon. He smiled and summoned his Blue Eyes White Dragon. Yugi groaned both from the pain and knowing what was coming next. He was down to 1000 Life Points and knew that when Kaiba was able to summon the Blue Eyes Shining Dragon he would be history. Just then his legs gave way and he collapsed to the ground in a crumpled heap as Kaiba gloated over him. His wound was bleeding more freely now and he didn't think he could hold on much longer. He felt so tired all he wanted to do was to close his eyes.

Yami's voice came to him in his mind.

'Yugi I know you can do this. If you don't Kaiba will get the millennium items and will do something terrible with them!'

'Yami, this time……I can't."

He closed his eyes.

"YUGI!" Yami yelled as Yugi lay still on the ground. He tried to get to his aribou, who was lying frighteningly still, but his legs still wouldn't move and his arms weren't strong enough. He howled in anger, frustration and pain as Kaiba strode over to his fallen opponent and dealt a kick to his chest. Yami and Ishizu heard a horrible crack as Yugi's ribs were broken but he didn't move.

"Get up!" He growled, "I will beat you properly, you can't use some little wound as an excuse!"

Ishizu suddenly found extra strength flooded her being as she saw Kaiba kick Yugi.

"LEAVE HIM ALONE!" she roared and Kaiba turned on her.

"I win by default, you will grant me the use of the millennium items."

Ishizu looked down at Yami who nodded his head hoping against hope that Yugi wasn't dead just unconscious.

"Follow me." She said and turned round at the same time releasing a bottle she had concealed in her hand, which dropped on the ground next to Yami. He waited until they had vanished back into the tomb before snatching it up and putting it between his teeth. Ishizu obviously meant for him to help Yugi with it and he prayed the gods would give him the strength to pull himself over to Yugi.

Holding his blanket as best he could he began to pull himself across the hot sand towards the prone form which still hadn't moved.

'Please be alive, please be alive' he silently begged as he made his slow way along, dragging his useless legs behind him.

It was sheer determination that got him across the fifty or so yards of sand to where Yugi was lying.

Yami propped himself up and turned Yugi over onto his back. He reeled in shock as Yugi's shirt was soaked in blood as was the sand around him, but he was breathing. Yami breathed a huge sigh of relief and ripped the soaking shirt off to reveal the ugly stab wound in his stomach.

'You went through all that for me.' The former pharaoh whispered to himself and felt very humble in the face of Yugi's bravery. He knew even for the brief moments of time they had had together Yugi would have died for them but Yami vowed not to let Yugi die. 'You may have lost me once.' He thought 'But I swear I will NOT lose you!'

He applied the ointment to Yugi's wound and watched as the blood stopped running out and the magic in the ointment dried the blood over the wound to form a scab.

Yami shifted himself around and carefully lifted Yugi's head to cradle him in his lap careful of his broken ribs.

The sun was hot on him and he hoped That Ishizu wouldn't be long. He stroked Yugi's hair and brushed the golden bangs away from his face. He loved him so much he knew if anything happened to him as a result if Kaiba's madness, he would not hold back – he would make him suffer and then he would kill him. 'After all' he reasoned 'I am the dark, it is in my nature.'

He knew what Yugi would do, Yugi was so kind hearted, and he would probably forgive Kaiba and mourn Yami's loss quietly as he had done for the last ten years. His beloved Yugi, so caring and forgiving. He didn't deserve this! Tears of anguish ran down Yami's face and onto Yugi's wetting it. He wiped them off and looked hopefully towards the entrance to his former tomb.

After what seemed an age, Ishizu emerged followed by Kaiba who was looking very pleased with himself and carrying six of the millennium items. Yami hurriedly slipped the puzzle from round Yugi's neck and hid it under his blanket; He was NOT going to lose that to this madman.

Kaiba strolled over to the two on the ground.

"Well, well what a touching little scene." He smiled but it was not a pleasant smile and the sight of it sent shivers down Yami's spine. 'Pease let us go.' He silently pleaded.

"I could just kill the three of you, you know, its no loss to me." He gloated. "But where's the sport in that? I know you'll try and reclaim these when you have gained strength and who am I to try and stop you? Besides," He continued darkly "It will be much more fun watching you die trying to get these back."

He laughed a purely evil laugh and turning on his heel, he walked to his car and drove off in a huge cloud of dust and sand.

"Come on we've got to get the both of you to the hospital." Said Ishizu. "Did you use the ointment?"

Yami nodded.

"The bleeding has stopped but he's very weak. Will he make it?"

Ishizu stood over Yugi and muttered a string of words.

"That will preserve his condition exactly as it is until we get him to a hospital." She said and held out her arms. Yami allowed him to be taken and Ishizu hurriedly placed Yugi in the backseat of the car but as gently as she could lest his broken ribs pierced something inside of him. Then she went to fetch Yami who held out his arms to be picked up much as a child would to its mother. He silently cursed his legs and hoped they would gain some movement soon.

When light and dark were safely in the car, Ishizu sped off across the desert. Yami was once again holding Yugi's head in his lap and kissed him lightly on the lips.

"We'll be there soon." He promised. Ishizu drummed her fingers on the steering wheel as she drove wondering why on earth tombs were always so far from civilization!

Six hours later, they arrived at the hospital and Ishizu rushed off to get medical help for both Yami and Yugi as both of them were in a bad way now. Yugi's condition hadn't deteriorated thanks to the ointment and the spell Ishizu had cast, however Yami was dehydrated and his body needed more blood, as Yugi's hadn't really been enough. Both of them were now unconscious.

Doctors and nurses came running with stretchers and whisked Yugi and Yami into the hospital for examination. Yugi had internal organ damage and was rushed off to theatre for emergency surgery. The doctors warned Ishizu that he might not pull through and they needed a signature to operate. Ishizu promptly lied and said they were brothers and she was their elder sister and they had no parents so no questions would be asked. It had been so long since Yugi was the Yu-Gi-Oh that most had forgotten what he looked like in spite of his hair, and the doctors were only too happy just to get a signature on their consent forms from their 'sister'. She was questioned as to how their wounds were received though Yami had no visible wounds he was severely dehydrated.

She lied again and said they'd been attacked and taken prisoner by some robbers near some of the old tombs, which they were visiting. She had managed to hide and set her 'brothers' free and they had escaped. The robbers had stabbed Yugi in his stomach, kicked him and not given them any food or water.

The doctors accepted this and went off to perform the necessary surgery on Yugi. Meanwhile a drip was being attached to Yami to give him much needed fluids and he was also having the first of several blood transfusions.

Ishizu paced around outside the room, which had two beds. One occupied by Yami and the other for Yugi when he returned though it might be a day or two if he survived the surgery.

Ishizu prayed feverishly to every God she had ever known hoping that one would hear her and restore both of them to her. She loved both of them dearly though not in the same way as they loved each other – she loved them as a sister would. When she told the doctors she was their sister she had not entirely lied because that was how she felt.

In the operating theatre doctors were struggling to keep Yugi alive. His heart had stopped twice during the surgery but both times he had been brought back. One of the doctors mused 'It's like he's trying to die.' And carried on stitching up the various internal organs that had been pierced by the dagger. It had gone in deep, stopping just short of his spinal cord and the doctor was glad about that. There was also his broken ribs to sort out though fortunately they hadn't pierced anything internally. The team worked feverishly not wanting to let this small person go.

Yugi stirred and opened his eyes. Where was he? The room was dark and he couldn't see anything apart from a thin strip of light beyond the end of whatever he was lying on. He stretched and felt his stomach. His wound was gone! He felt around and discovered that not only was it gone but there was no trace of any injury at all! Not even a scar, which he felt sure he would be able to feel. He got up and holding his hands out in front of him he felt the space in front of him for obstacles but found none. He made his way over to where the strip of light was and felt around for a door handle or knob. He found a handle and stepped out into a place he knew very well.

"The millennium puzzle! How did I get here?" he remembered passing out fighting Kaiba. Kaiba! Oh no he had got the Millenium items by now he was sure. What about Yami? And Ishizu.

Then he felt guilty. All of this was his fault! Why couldn't he have left well alone? But oh no he had to be selfish and bring Yami back didn't he? Now who knew what Kaiba would do with such power as those items held. Yugi sank to the floor and buried his head in his hands. He had failed. He couldn't defeat Kaiba and Yami had believed in him but he had just given up. He was a failure and the guilt of it weighed heavily on him. He couldn't breathe it was suffocating him and he passed out momentarily. He came round to find the guilt was still there and it had formed into a dark cloud. It grew a little more as he berated himself. Again it descended on him choking him and again he passed out. When he came round again Yami was there and he was shaking him.

"Yami!" He smiled to see him but then he saw his guilt cloud hovering behind Yami and his smile vanished.

"Yami I…" he broke off trying to gather himself.

"It's alright Yugi, You didn't fail, and I don't know what Kaiba was thinking trying to get you to duel when you were bleeding so badly. He had no right to play with your life like that! He's insane Yugi and it is not your fault you understand me?"

"Yes but if it hadn't been for me searching for a way to bring you back out of my own selfish desires, he would never have found your tomb!"

"Yugi, your desires aren't selfish – I would have done the same had it have been you who had left. I love you Yugi Motou and I would have searched the earth for a way to bring you back!"

"Really?" Yugi's hopes raised and the cloud of guilt diminished. Yami stroked his face and Yugi relaxed a bit more. So Yami wasn't mad and he would have done the same? He felt a lot better knowing this and his cloud of guilt dissipated completely.

"How come you're here too Yami? I passed out I remember but you were alright."

"I'm not sure, I remember closing my eyes in the car and waking up in a dark room."

"Not your soul room? I woke up in a dark room too. Do you think it has anything to do with the fact you're not sharing my body anymore? But why have we come where and not to the shadow realm?"

"I'm not sure but one thing I do know is we've got to get back to our bodies somehow. I am not just a spirit anymore, I believe the longer we stay here now, the more chance there is of us not getting back at all and we might end up trapped in this place forever and I for one and a little fed up of it!"

Yugi couldn't help but smile.

"Yes I guess it would lose its appeal after five thousand years." Grinned Yugi. "Can you remember the way back to your dark room?"

"Yes I think so, it was back this way."

They walked down the passages until they came to two doors opposite each other.

"This it you think?" Yugi said and tried one of them. He recalled which way he had opened his door and looked into the darkness within. He could just make out the edge of a table inside.

Yami opened the other door and saw the same.

"I think this must be it." He said "And I think this one was mine."

"Yes I remember opening my door this way." Yugi said and turned back to his dark who held out his arms. Yugi melted into the embrace and they stood there for long moments neither wanting to move.

"Do you think we will meet here when asleep?" Yugi wondered out loud.

"I'm not sure aribou, one thing is sure though, we have to get well and strong again. We must get those items back no matter what. There is no telling what Kaiba has planned for them."

"Yes, heal soon my koi (love)"

"Must we return so soon? I don't want to let go of you." Said Yugi tightening his hold slightly.

"You know we must. Ishizu will be worrying about us."

Yugi sighed and nodded. They had a responsibility to put things right he knew.

"One or other of us could die Yami." He said, fear making his voice tremble.

"Well if that happens, it happens. But I don't believe we would go to the shadow realm, I believe this place is where our souls will reside when our bodies can't hold us anymore."

"That would be nice. An eternity together."

Yami smiled.

"Lets hope so. I also think our bond keeps us bound together, after all we shared the same body for a number of years."

"I heard your voice in the desert Yami, you spoke into my mind. You told me not to give up."

"Yes I was saying that in my mind, we must still share a telepathic link of some sort. This could work to our advantage when dealing with Kaiba."

"We should practice and develop it so we're completely ready when the time comes."

"Yes. Alright I'm not sure how we will return to our bodies but lets see what happens when we lay on the tables again."

They finally disentangled themselves and each went into his own room.

Back in the hospital room, Ishizu was sitting on a chair between the two beds, her head was lolling forwards as sleep tried to claim her. A sudden light made her sit up in alarm. She saw that the Millennium Puzzle that was back in its rightful place round Yugi's neck was glowing. Yugi had come back from intensive care after the doctors said he was well enough to leave.

Ishizu watched as a golden ball of light rose out of the Puzzle and split in two. One went into Yugi and the other into Yami.

"Their souls!" she whispered and fully awake now she watched as both pairs of eyes flickered and opened.

"Welcome back" she smiled and both of them managed a weak smile in return.

Yami was still hooked up to the drips as was Yugi and they looked across at each other.

"I love you," mouthed Yugi and Yami returned the sentiment before they closed their eyes and fell into blissful dreamless sleep.

**I know they had just woken up but that was from being unconscious rather than just sleeping – when they're just sleeping they don't enter the puzzle**


	5. Chapter 5 Rejection

Chapter 5 - Rejection

Seto Kaiba drove towards the airport drumming his fingers on the steering wheel and humming contentedly to himself. He had succeeded in his mission. True, it had taken longer for that little runt Yugi to find out how to bring back that pharaoh guy but now he had his prizes. All but the puzzle but he didn't really need that item they could keep it. Nothing could stop him becoming what he wanted now and that was the world's top duellist. These six items were going to ensure that for him and no one could stand in his way not even Yugi and his pathetic friend. 'A Pharaoh eh? Ha! That's a laugh' Kaiba thought, 'he couldn't even walk, so much for an all-powerful pharaoh who locked the games away blah blah. And as for the little runt' his mind growled 'I hope I killed him! Medical attention bah, I bet it was only a scratch.'

Kaiba had no idea how Yugi had brought Yami back in his mind Yugi had been scared of losing the duel so he faked passing out.

Kaiba shrugged and continued tapping his fingers and humming cheerfully. Soon he would return home to see his little brother who would be so happy to see him he felt sure he would be forgiven for being away so long. He had had to, he reasoned to himself, no one could know he was even alive lest anyone discover what he was up to.

Mokuba was wondering aimlessly along the halls of the huge mansion where he lived. Until ten years ago, he had shared this place with his brother who was missing presumed dead. No trace of him had ever been found and Mokuba had missed him terribly and surrounded himself with his brother's things. He remembered Yugi coming to visit him and although he was grateful for that he couldn't bring himself to talk to anyone. He had felt guilty, as he liked Yugi even though his brother hated him but that was only because his brother was pig-headed and acted like a jerk over the rivalry a lot of the time to the extent that he had nearly caused Yugi's death at one point but he was his big brother and he had loved him. Yugi had looked hurt by Mokuba's rejection and Mokuba knew he was hurting too having lost someone close to him.

Now today was the first time he had been able to put the remnants of his brother's presence in the house to rest and had packed away the last of his pictures. His mourning was over and now he was going to get on with his life and maybe even find a partner to share it with.

A door somewhere in the mansion banged and Mokuba froze. The staff had the day off today and there should be no one about. Was it the wind? Today was a still day so he knew it wasn't that. Was it someone breaking in? Silently he padded to his room and unlocked his gun cabinet. Pulling out a shotgun he loaded it and left the room to find the person who dared to infiltrate his house!

Kaiba had let himself into the front door using his old key, which he had never thrown away. The door banged behind him and he dumped one of his bags on the floor but keeping hold of the one with the millennium items in it. The house was too quiet he thought and began to walk through the rooms looking for someone. The house was clean so it was still looked after well and Kaiba knew his brother still lived here as he had been keeping distant tabs on him and knew he missed him. What he didn't know what that today Mokuba had laid his brother to rest in his mind at last and had given him up for dead.

Kaiba continued to walk through the rooms oblivious to the fact his brother was stalking the 'intruder' with a shotgun.

Mokuba heard the sounds the intruder was making and made his way towards them. 'Funny' he thought 'Who ever it is, is making an awful lot of noise.' He carried on through the rooms following the strange intruder who he could see in the distance heading for the kitchen. 'Strange he should head to the kitchen first, I'd have thought if he was planning on stealing stuff, he would have started gathering it all together.'

Mokuba walked carefully and silently towards the figure who had his head buried in the refridgerator. He walked right up behind him before poking the gun into the intruder's back.

"Stand up and turn around very slowly." He said and the man dropped what he was holding and put his hands into the air.

"You would shoot me little brother?"

"I don't have a brother he's dead, I said TURN AROUND!" he shouted. How dare this intruder pretend to be Seto? Seto was gone, but the voice….

Slowly Kaiba turned round and Mokuba saw that it was indeed his brother returned from the dead. The gun fell from his hands thankfully not going off as it clattered to the ground.

Mokuba backed away slowly.

"No…..I don't have a brother, he died ten years ago, you can't be him!" Shock and fear made his voice shake. Was it his brother's ghost? No he had been solid when Mokuba poked him with the gun.

"But I am him." Seto said, "I have been in hiding for the last ten years so I could track Yugi and get my hands on these." Proudly he laid the six items out on the table in the middle of the kitchen but Mokuba wasn't impressed.

"You let me think you were dead…"

"I'm sorry about that, but now with these items I shall be the top duellist once again and my memory will never fade!" He threw his head back and laughed maniacally but Mokuba shied away from him.

"Ten years and nothing and now you show your face? I thought you were dead and yet here you are. I should have accepted Yugi's offer of friendship when he gave it but I believed you weren't dead right up till today. Today I laid you to rest in my mind Seto, today you died for me." Mokuba stood defiant, eyes flashing as his brother's face clouded and grew angry.

"You would have been friends with Yugi? You would have betrayed me in such a way? How dare you even consider it after all I did for you, all the times I saved your sorry hide you ungrateful little wretch!"

Mokuba bristled in anger he was seeing his brother's true colours for the first time, truly seeing them and he hated what he saw. This man, this monster in front of him was not his brother anymore. He stood his ground and snarled at his brother.

"I would have been friends with Yugi because he cares about me big brother." He spat, "Yugi sees something you could never hope to see because you let your ego and desires blind you to what's really important. Friendship, love and trust. All you care about is being top in a dumb card game! What's going to happen when you've pushed away everyone who has ever cared about you? You will grow old and you will be all alone. I could have forgiven you for anything but not for this. You know? I think I'll take Yugi up on his offer of friendship dearest big brother, because unlike you, he cares about other people. You care for no-one but yourself!"

Kaiba reeled in shock from his little brother's outburst. He truly had never expected anything but his brother throwing himself at him. Glad to have him home. This was unexpected and he was sorry.

"I'm really sorry Mokuba, I guess I thought you would be glad to see me."

But Mokuba was past caring, He felt hurt, angry and betrayed and from now on as far as he was concerned, he didn't have a brother.

"Forget it Kaiba." He growled and Kaiba stumbled back in shock. His brother had never called him 'Kaiba' before. Shock then turned to anger. He would betray him by running to that little runt would he?

"Fine go to him but don't be surprised if you find him dead along with his pathetic little pharaoh friend. We met in Egypt and duelled but he couldn't handle it. He collapsed like some pathetic little worm so I broke his ribs and probably killed him."

Mokuba sank to the floor in utter disbelief. Killed him? Killed Yugi? He couldn't believe it, wouldn't believe it.

"He's not dead." He said quietly. At that moment he hated his brother, really hated him. Slowly he stood up again and retrieved the shotgun. He pointed it at Kaiba's head.

"I am going now." He said still quietly, "if you try to stop me I will blow your brains out."

Kaiba stood there dumbstruck at his little brother's words. He sounded flat, emotionless and it hit Kaiba like a punch in the stomach.

"Mokuba…" But Mokuba was already gone.

Something died inside Kaiba and when he looked up his face had hardened. He didn't need him, ungrateful little worm, he didn't need anybody! He was going to the top and he would do it on his own! Let the little idiot go running off to Yugi. No one would be able to stop him.

He stood and began to adorn himself with the millennium items and finally he picked up the eye. It was cold in his hand and be braced himself for the pain and plunged the eye into his socket.

He screamed as pain exploded in his head and he stumbled round the kitchen clutching his head as the remains of his real eye oozed out from behind the hardness of the millennium eye.

Mokuba heard his screams as he drove away from the mansion. He drove about a mile down the road before stopping and leaning his head on the steering wheel. He would have cried but he had already cried a river of tears for his brother over the last ten years and he had none left to shed.

Why? Couldn't his brother see that he was being insane? This question he kind of knew the answer to but his admission of Yugi dying at his hand he couldn't comprehend. He had to find out if he was still alive and if he was, he was going to see him and ask Yugi if he would forgive him for the rebuff all those years ago. He knew now that he should have taken him up on the offer. Still what was done was done and now he had to know.

He pressed a button on the dashboard and one of his associates answered.

"Yes sir!"

"Garton, I want you to check every hospital in Egypt for 'Yugi Motou' and report to me as soon as you know anything."

"Yes sir I'm on it!."

Mokuba waited in his car for news of Yugi. Drops of sweat ran down his face and he wiped them away impatiently. Then the dashboard beeped.

"I have him sir."

"Excellent."

Mokuba jotted down the details and thanked his associate informing him he would be out of the country for a few days.

He started the car and drove off heading in the direction of the airport.

In the hospital Yami and Yugi were recovering well though Yami still couldn't move his legs and this was worrying him though he tried not to let his concern show lest he should worry Yugi and hinder his recovery. But Yugi knew him too well.

"What's bothering you Yami?" Large eyes looked at him questioningly and Yami knew he couldn't lie.

"It's my legs, they still won't move. It's been a week and nothing. I cannot feel them they are useless." Had he been restored to his Yugi merely to be a burden to him as an invalid? He didn't want that, he didn't want Yugi to go through that.

"Yami…" Yugi faltered, he didn't know what to say. It didn't bother him in the slightest but it was definately bothering his dark. He tried again.

"Yami, maybe you should talk to one of the doctors? There must be something that can be done. Try not to worry too much about it, Maybe your body still needs time to 'come alive' as it were."

Yami considered this and then relaxed a bit.

"You're right of course, I'll talk to the doctor tomorrow."

Yugi nodded and was about to say something when there was a knock on the door and Ishizu entered.

"Hello you two," she smiled. "It seems we have a visitor."

They both stared in shock as Mokuba entered the room. Yami's expression darkened a little and Mokuba saw the look and shuffled his feet a little.

"Uh hi." He said. Yami's frown deepened.

"Come to spy for your big brother to see if he succeeded in killing Yugi off?" There was a steely edge to his voice and Mokuba shrank under his piercing gaze.

"I have no brother." He said flatly and Yugi asked him,

"What happened?"

Mokuba explained what had transpired and that he wanted to ask Yugi to forgive him for shutting out his offer of friendship and was the offer still there?

During the time Mokuba was telling his story Yami's expression changed from one of anger and mistrust to one of sympathy and understanding. Poor Mokuba!

Yugi smiled warmly.

"Of course it's still there."

"When my brother bragged he'd killed you, I knew then that he was insane, I want to help you stop him."

Yami looked at Yugi and they both smiled and nodded.

"Yes of course," Yami said "We're going to need all the help we can get."

"Yes and I'll add Kaiba Corp's resources to help. The people who work for me will only follow my orders especially when I tell them Kaiba is an imposter!"

Both Yami and Yugi heard Mokuba call his brother by his surname and that was all the conformation they needed.


	6. Chapter 6 Test Results

Chapter 6 – Test Results

Yami and Yugi were sitting up on their hospital beds a few days later. Both had recovered well and Yugi was up and about most of the time fetching things to make Yami comfortable or laying next to him on his bed so they could lay in each other's arms. They often slept like this and the nurses who came in, in the morning would find them like it and smile. Of course they thought that the two were brothers and that the small one was trying to comfort his bigger brother with close contact. They all thought it very cute. They had no idea about the love that these two shared.

Yami had asked the doctor to find out why he was paralysed from the waist down and he had spent the last few days undergoing tests and scans to see if they could find out what was wrong. Today he was going to get the results and he was hoping they could do something about it, he was a little fed up of having to lay or sit there like some useless piece of meat. Of course, Yugi told him as often as possible that he didn't care whether Yami could walk or not as long as he had him. He would love him no matter what and although his words were a comfort to Yami he was still frustrated about his predicament.

"I don't want to be a burden to you Yugi, if I can't walk, I can't be the partner you deserve." He had said a couple of days ago. Yugi's reaction to this had been to tell Yami to shut up and if he ever said or even thought such a thing again he wouldn't speak to him for a week! Yami had promised faithfully never to say it again and Yugi had hugged him and said that no matter what Yami thought Yugi knew he needed nothing else. Paralysed or not, Yami was the only one he wanted. Deep down Yami knew his hikari was right and vowed to say nothing else about it and anyway when his results came back, he'd know more.

Footsteps could be heard from outside their room and both of them looked and waited expectantly. There was a knock on the door and the doctor entered followed by his associates.

He stood at the foot of the bed and shuffled his papers a little. Yami looked at him expectantly, surely it would be good news?

"Your results have come back and I'm afraid it's rather bad news."

"Bad news?" asked Yami feeling a knot tie in his stomach and waiting for the doctor to tell him what he had really known deep down from the beginning back in his tomb.

Yugi watched from his bed and his breath caught in his throat. The doctor shifted uneasily and spoke.

"We scanned your lower back and after careful examination we found that the base of your spine has been damaged somehow. We are not sure how exactly but the damage is inoperable and the result is this paralysis that you are experiencing."

Yami felt dizzy and his head spun. So he really was never going to walk again. An invalid for the rest of his existence. He felt sick and his hand balled into a fist.

Yugi let out the breath he had been holding and desperately tried to hold back the tears that wanted to force their way out of his eyes but he couldn't stop them and they streamed down his face making his clothes wet but he didn't care. All he wanted to do was to hold Yami in his arms and tell him everything was going to be okay. But how could he? Yami was going to be devastated and Yugi wondered if he would blame him for resurrecting him. He hoped not, he couldn't bear the thought of an unkind word from his koi. He looked across at Yami who sat stony faced without moving a muscle but when Yugi looked down, he saw that Yami's hands were shaking slightly.

The doctor explained that his body would function normally in all other ways but Yami wasn't listening. He had shut his mind off from the doctor and everything else.

The doctor left and Yami lay down staring at the ceiling unblinking.

Yugi got out of bed and approached his dark slowly. He wanted to reach out to him and tell him it was okay and that he still loved him as much as he always had.

He reached out a faltering hand to touch Yami.

Yami jumped and looked at Yugi his eyes flashing in fury.

"DON'T TOUCH ME!" he shouted and turned away from his hikari, shutting out the sound of the sob that escaped Yugi's lips. 'He does blame me' he thought bitterly and returned to his own bed where he buried his face under the covers and wept bitterly.

Yami could hear the sobs and he felt so guilty for having shouted when all Yugi wanted to do was to offer him sympathy and love. Yami hated himself for causing his little one so much pain but he couldn't help it. He raised himself to a sitting position and uncovering his legs he stared at them. 'Useless bits of meat' he muttered and poked his right leg. He felt nothing so he poked it harder. Still nothing so he thumped it with his fist. Still he felt nothing, no pain, not even a twinge. He began to thump his legs harder crying out in anger willing himself to feel something, anything but there was nothing. Dark marks were appearing all over his thighs where his relentless thumping was bruising them badly but he couldn't stop. All his anger flowed down through his arms and he couldn't stem it.

Suddenly a hand grabbed his fist in mid flight and Yami looked round and right into the eyes of his beloved Yugi.

"Yami stop please." He begged. "This is my fault, I should have left you to rest instead of bringing you back, now you won't be able to walk and it's my fault!" Tears were pouring down his face and Yami felt a rush of love for his little hikari.

"I'm sorry Yugi-chan, I guess I was just angry and had to let it go somewhere. Come here." He held out his arms and Yugi pressed himself into the embrace. He felt so protected in his dark's arms. Yami lay down on the bed and Yugi followed him down resting his head on Yami's chest and enjoying the warmth and closeness of his koi.

"Yami, no matter what happens I will always love you. You know that don't you."

"Yugi I'm sorry I shouted at you, I hurt you I know and I hated myself for it."

"Don't hate yourself, it's okay I know you were angry but I still feel as though it's my fault."

"You have to stop blaming yourself for what's happened."

"But if I'd given you just a little more blood, your legs might be fine now and you'd be walking."

"Rubbish, you heard the doctor, my spine is damaged, lack of blood from you wouldn't have made that happen."

"But what if I damaged you carrying you up and out of the tomb?" Yugi fretted and Yami kissed the top of his head.

"I couldn't move my legs before we left the tomb remember? This isn't your fault Yugi! We will succeed in stopping Kaiba and his pathetic little plans, we will recover the Millennium Items and return them to my tomb whether I can walk or not! Whether on my feet or not I love you, nothing will ever change that and I don't regret you bringing me back. I'm glad you did. Yami's little speech ended and he kissed Yugi's hair again. Half of that had really been to convince himself that everything was going to be alright because he wasn't entirely sure if it was. He knew the power of the items, he had seen it at work in ancient Egypt and it was a mighty power indeed. If Kaiba couldn't control it, who knew what might happen?

Yugi relaxed and snuggled into Yami's arms. This was the only place he wanted to be, he never wanted to be parted from him – ever. He made a vow that if Yami should die while trying to retrieve the Millennium Items with him, then he would rapidly follow him. To lose him again would be too much for him to bear.

He closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep shortly followed by Yami.

Two days later they were given the all clear to leave the hospital and Yugi busied himself helping Yami wash and get dressed. He didn't mind this at all but Yami fidgeted uncomfortably.

"I feel useless." He grumbled but was silenced by Yugi who held up a hand to stop him.

"Stop it, I don't mind and to be honest it gives me a chance to remind myself just how damn sexy you look with no clothes on." He grinned at his dark and Yami couldn't help but smile.

"Alright, I'll behave and I won't complain anymore. Really I'm just glad to have you, nothing else matters – well apart from one thing."

Yugi nodded knowing exactly what he meant.

"Don't worry nothing will stop us succeeding against Kaiba. We have a good ally in Mokuba and with Kaiba Corps recourses we should be fine."

"Yes but when it comes down to it at the end of the day it's going to be me and him duelling, I'm sure of it. Ha! Imagine, I'll be the first ever wheelchair duellist!" Yami struck a pose making fun of his own predicament and Yugi giggled at him. The giggle was infectious and soon Yami joined him and the both of them laughed as hard as they could.for a long time.

When they finally stopped Yami was feeling better than he had done for days and he smiled at Yugi.

"Thanks aribou, I really needed that."

Yugi grinned and felt good too. The laughter had erased a lot of tension between them and the air felt much better. 'So what if I'm stuck in a chair for the rest of my life?' Yami thought 'I'll have my koi by my side and that should be more than enough.' He knew the next few months would be a struggle. Coming to terms with something like this was going to be really tough on everyone. He felt as though he couldn't protect his little light anymore and it saddened him.

"Yugi, I cannot protect you anymore." He said his voice sad.

Yugi threw his arms round Yami's neck and held his dark's head close to his chest.

"Do you think that matters to me? Anyway you protected me for long enough, now it's my turn my koi, I will be your protector, always."

"Well, alright." Said Yami and secretly he was pleased. He knew that Yugi felt safe and protected in his arms anyway – truth was he felt safe and protected in Yugi's arms, in spite of his size Yugi had surprisingly strong arms.

They were both finally ready and Yami was seated on the edge of the bed with Yugi next to him who had hold of his hand and would squeeze it gently every now and then just to reassure his dark.

A hospital porter arrived with a wheelchair to take Yami to the taxi that had been ordered for them. Ishizu had to go away for a few days so there was no one to pick them up. Yugi thought of Joey and his friends from the past with sadness and really wished he had kept up the close friendship that they had once shared. He wondered whether or not to call Joey and fill him in on everything that had happened but he was nervous. What id Joey slammed the phone down or something? He decided that getting Yami home and settled in was more important at the moment.

"Time to go." He said cheerfully and Yami held out his arms for Yugi to carry him to the chair.

"Can I push him?" He asked the porter when Yami was seated comfortably. The porter smiled and nodded, glad to be relieved of this job. Hospitals were such busy places he never seemed to have time for anything! He left the two and went off to do other jobs.

Yugi hung their bags on the back of the chair and began to push Yami out of the room.

"This thing isn't as easy to steer as that porter made it look." He said as he swerved round a corner trying to avoid people as they made their way to the entrance.

Yami giggled, then cried out as Yugi nearly ran the chair into the wall.

"Careful aribou! I would like to get home in one piece."

Yugi apologised and tried to stay in control of the chair.

"This back wheel steering is weird." He complained "It never goes where you want it."

"Well I guess I'll be getting a front steering one soon." Said Yami without much enthusiasm. Yugi put his arms round his dark's neck and pecked him on the cheek as there was no one around at that moment.

"I hope its red and black and yellow." He said, "Then it'll match our hair!"

Yami laughed.

"You are daft! And you always know how to make me feel better. Come on or the taxi will go without us!"

They managed to go the rest of the way without incident and found the taxi waiting for them. Yugi carried Yami from the chair and placed him gently down on the back seat before going round and getting in the back.

"I wonder where Mokuba got to?" Yami wondered. He had been to see Yami and Yugi yesterday to inform them that he was using Kaiba Corps resources to try and trace Kaiba but so far there was nothing. Yugi had told him about what the doctor said and Mokuba had been horrified and had left shortly afterwards saying that he had a few things to sort out and he would see them tomorrow.

"I don't know." Said Yugi, "Maybe he'll come to the shop, he knew we were being discharged today because I sent him a text earlier."

"I hope he does." Yami had grown to like the raven haired Kaiba brother over the last couple of days. He saw him to be honest and trustworthy and his anger burned against Kaiba for his betrayal. How could he have just left him for ten years with no word or anything!

"Something wrong Yami-chan?" Yugi was watching him and Yami realised he was snarling. He stopped immediately and put his arm round Yugi's shoulders.

"Nothing really, I was just thinking about Mokuba and how hurt he has been by Kaiba."

"Yes I can't believe he did that. He's such a low-life!"

"Yes but a dangerous low-life." Yami reminded him. "We must never underestimate him now he wields so much power. I doubt even he knows how much."

He held his light close to him and thought that Yugi's arms felt very thin under his jacket though they didn't look it really with his shirt off.

How he managed to carry him so easily was beyond Yami. He felt so frail and yet he seemed to possess the strength of a bear! 'A bear cub.' Thought Yami and smiled to himself. He was looking forwards to them being finally alone.

-

Yami Seirei: Please don't flame me too badly for putting Yami in a wheelchair! I love him really!

Yami: I can't walk sob

Yugi: Awww I still love you

Yami:

Yami Seirei: Yamiiiii I want a kiss!

Yami: Hmm well okay peck that okay?

Yami Seirei: melts into a puddle ahhh.

Yugi: Hey where's mine? I'm your koi not her!

Yami: sorry! huggles but she is writing about us, I was just saying thanks.

Yugi: Oh ok then. Please please review the story for Yami Seirei she loves to read them and it makes her write faster!

Yami Seirei (from her puddle on the floor): Thank you Yugiiiii


	7. Chapter 7 Homecoming

Chapter 8 – Friends

The taxi pulled up outside the shop and Yugi and Yami were greeted with a big surprise.

"So that's what Mokuba was up to." Said Yugi and grinned in delight.

Outside of his house waiting for them was Mokuba as well as Joey, Tristan, Tea, Serenity and Duke.

The taxi driver opened the door and Yugi got out before turning round and gathering Yami into his arms.

Mokuba paid for the taxi much to Yugi's relief because he couldn't get to his pockets.

"Hi guys." He said as they crowded round him and Yami.

"Lets go inside." Said Mokuba, I've got a surprise for you Yami."

Puzzled, Yugi carried his dark indoors and into the living room.

"How did you get in Mokuba?" Yugi asked and Joey waved a key at him.

"You don't mind do you?" said Mokuba suddenly looking worried.

"No it's fine." Yugi smiled; glad to see his friends again. He would apologise profusely to them later for shutting himself away for so long, but by the looks on their faces, they didn't seem too bothered.

Yugi carried Yami into the living room and stopped short. In the middle of the room was a very expensive looking wheelchair.

Yugi knew that his friends couldn't possibly have afforded such a chair and he looked at Mokuba.

"You got this?" Yami asked amazed by their new ally's generosity.

"I did, it was nothing really and I wanted to do something to help after you've been kind to me I was just trying to return the favour a little."

Yugi carried Yami over to the chair and place him in it. It truly was a great chair with a special cushion under him and good supports so his back wouldn't ache.

"This is a very special chair." Mokuba explained. "If you press this button here," he pressed a button and a whirring noise could be heard. "You can duel!"

The group watched as a Duel Disk came up from the side of the chair and slotted into place.

"Awesome!" said Joey "Hey can I have a go?" at which Tea poked him hard in the ribs. "Ow! What was that for?"

"For being immature, honestly sometimes I wonder what I see in you!"

"Because I'm so unbelievably handsome?" Said Joey striking a pose and everyone laughed.

"You two are together?" Asked Yugi. He was even more sorry he hadn't kept up with things.

"Yeah, we figured you were busy and would catch up with us when you were ready."

"I'm sorry, I've ignored you all." Yugi said and hung his head in shame. Yami's heart went out to his Koi. Because of him Yugi had ignored his friends.

Serenity walked up to Yugi and gave him a huge hug.

"It's all right, really we knew you'd find a way to bring Yami back and we were just waiting for you to find it. We knew as soon as you did then we could all get together again."

"You really don't mind?"

"Of course not silly!" Serenity grinned at him and he grinned back.

"Alright them, but I'm still sorry."

"Don't be." Said Joey, "anyway you'd only be moping round with a face like a wet weekend." He teased and Tea poked him again "Ow! Uh sorry Yugi, it must have been hard for you huh?"

"Yeah it has been hard." He admitted. "But in the end it was worth it."

"Mokuba told us what you had to do Yugi." Said duke making a pained face. "That must have hurt."

"Oh state the obvious why don't you." Said Tristen "Course it hurt!"

"Guys! Guys it's fine really. I wanted Yami back so badly that it didn't really bother me." This was a lie because the pain had been excruciating but he didn't want all his friends being hugely sympathetic about it.

"Oh okay." Said Tristen not really believing it but accepting it anyway. They all felt for Yugi's pain when Yami had gone and were so pleased for him now. They felt for Yami's loss too though they wouldn't treat him any different than if he was fully able bodied.

Joey was still inspecting Yami's chair and Mokuba was grinning, pleased that his gift had helped. It had been a prototype that Kaiba Corp had been asked to make. The son of a rich guy who was into Duel Monsters but was wheelchair bound, had asked them to do it and this was the chair meant for him but as Mokuba had pointed out to his staff who had protested that the guy was waiting for it, Mokuba had ordered them to make another right away and apologise for the delay. His staff had scuttled off like lab rats to make another chair and Mokuba had had this one sent to Yugi's house. That's what he had spent the remainder of yesterday and today sorting out so it would be ready for Yami.

Mokuba watched as the group of friends laughed and joked with each other. He joined in too and he thought to himself that he couldn't ever remember a time when he had laughed so much. He didn't think he ever had laughed like this. Seto had always been so dead pan with little humour, even when they were kids, his ambitions were high and laughter didn't come into the equation. He really wished then that he had been born Joey or Yugi's little brother rather that Seto, even Tristen would have been okay!

Yugi noticed that Mokuba looked a little uneasy and wasn't laughing as much as everyone else. He left his spot next to Yami who had been holding his hand, and went to sit next to Mokuba.

"Everything okay?" he asked and Mokuba's eyes sparkled with unshed tears.

"No I'm not really, you guys are all so happy and it made me think that I've never had this kind of relaxed time to just have fun with friends. Seto, he always made me fiddle with the electronics of his inventions and designs and never laughed or even smiled hardly unless it was over something he had won or crushed someone he didn't like. He never smiled out of pleasure. I, I hate him!" he finished and then the tears came running down his face in a never ending rush as all his misery flowed out of him.

Serenity left Duke's side and came over to Mokuba. She sat down and gave him a hug. Mokuba clung to her shirt and cried as if his heart would break.

"I hate him, I hate him." He sobbed as Serenity patted his back.

Yami watched from his chair and felt so sorry for him. What a rotten life he had had! And here he was upset about having to sit in a chair! 'There were more ways than one to disable a person.' He thought 'No laughter is a horrible way to have to live.' He was glad his hikari made him laugh as well as his friends.

Mokuba dried his eyes and sniffed.

"Thanks guys, I guess I really needed that."

"its okay we understand." Yugi smiled "besides you're friends with us now and we have a good laugh a lot of the time – well we used to. Nothing's changed though, not really."

The group nodded. Now they were back together again and nothing was going to change that.

Mokuba smiled round at everyone truly happy for the first time in his life. He would deal with his so-called brother when the time came.

Later on there were empty pizza boxes lying around the room and everyone was full and contented. Joey had gone off to hire a movie and it had just ended. Yami yawned loudly.

"Oh sorry." He said and giggled, "guess I'm more tired than I thought."

"Yes it's time us lot got going and left you two in peace," grinned Joey and Yugi blushed slightly. But then Joey yelped as Tea poked him again.

"Ow! I'm going to have a bruise there now." Complained Joey and everyone laughed.

They grabbed their coats and left. Quite suddenly Yugi and Yami were alone in the house.

Yugi stood in front of his dark taking in the fine features of his face and the lean muscled body that lay under his clothes. In spite of his body having been dormant for so long, it had recovered fast and was perfect. He licked his lips in anticipation. Yami saw him and noted the hunger in his eyes.

"I want you Yami, I want to show you just how much I have missed you, needed you, wanted to feel you close by my side, holding me in your arms."

Yugi walked up to him and Yami slid his arms round his light's neck. Yugi lifted him and observed the mess on the floor. 'Ah it can wait till morning.' He thought, he didn't think he could wait another minute and he pressed his lips down onto Yami's making him part his mouth to allow his tongue to explore inside. Yami moaned into the kiss and slid his own tongue inside Yugi's mouth to explore.

Still kissing Yami deeply, Yugi made his way upstairs to the bedroom and laid his koi on the bed. He lay next to him and they resumed the kiss, fingers wondered roaming, exploring and entwining themselves in each other's hair. Years of pent up desires and passions were flooding out of them, fuelling their passion until they could stand it no longer.

"Get these off me!" Begged Yami indicating his pants and Yugi obliged before whipping his own clothes off and kissing Yami all over his chest while his dark moaned loudly.

Passions rose as they found each other fully and made themselves whole and one with each other. All tiredness forgotten it was many hours later when both of them spent and blissfully happy lay in each other's arms asleep, with smiles on their faces.

Yami & Yugi: Whee we got a lime!

Yami Seirei: yes you did, like it?

Yami: Yeah!

Yugi: (puppy dog eyes) I wanted a lemon pweeeeeeese can we have one?

Yami Seirei: Not in this ficcy! Remember I promised you a lemon in another fic okay?

Yugi: Okay…so long as it's a promise.

Yami: well when she does, watch out! I've seen her lemon fics.

Yami seirei: YAMI! You read my fics?

Yami: Yeah you really shouldn't leave your computer on when you got into town…but I had a great time!

Yugi: Hey! I never got to read one!

Yami Seirei: (prints off a ficcy) here go read!

Yugi: Ohh goody (bounces off to read it)

Yami: Heh…There'll be no stopping him tonight you know!

Yami Seirei: Serves you right for reading my other stories!

Yami: bah just get on with the next chapter!

Yami Seirei: yep I will soon if people like this enough (hint-review-hint) hehe

Yami: Subtle aren't you….

Yami Seirei: Yep!


	8. Chapter 8 Preparations

The water sloshed and splashed round Yami's body as he lay in the bath. His legs floated slightly and he desperately tried to move them or wiggle his toes or something but it was useless. Yugi was holding his dark's head in his arms and was washing his hair gently pouring on the water and massaging shampoo into the tri-coloured hair on his aikouka's (lover's) head.

Yami loved Yugi washing his hair, he didn't really mind that he couldn't walk when he was in his arms and also because Yugi would strip to his waist and Yami would watch his muscles ripple under his skin as he moved.

He reached up a wet hand and stroked Yugi's face with it leaving a trail for glistening wetness on his cheek. Yugi smiled and began to rinse the shampoo off Yami's hair.

"Hmm you do that so well my koi."

Yugi grinned and leaned over.

"Ah but I do this better." He said before their lips met and he kissed Yami with a fierce passion.

---WARNING LEMON HERE--- (removed from this site available on or by email if you leave your email addy in a review)

"I love you so much." He whispered and Yami stroked his hair.

"I love you too my koi."

Quite suddenly Yami shivered and Yugi sat up.

"The water got too cold! Hang on and I'll get you out." Yugi lifted himself off carefully and got out the bath drying himself and donning a robe quickly before lifting Yami up and out the bath and sat him on a towel which he'd put on the toilet in order to put a robe round his shoulders.

He carried him into the bedroom and laid him on it before covering him up to keep him warm while he dressed. Yami watched as Yugi moved round the room getting dressed and sorting out yami's clothes for him. Yami had commented that it had felt strange dressing in different clothes after dressing the same for so long and even now he still liked to wear virtually the same styles though, the school uniform that Yugi used to wear had been replaced by leather trousers and a leather jacket. That coupled with the collar round his neck and on his wrists always made Yugi tell him how sexy he was before kissing him and demanding they be removed.

The phone rang and as it was by the bed, Yami picked it up.

"Hello?….Hi Mokuba"

Yami was silent as he listened to what Mokuba said before muttering a 'bye' and replacing the receiver.

"That was Mokuba, They've located Kaiba."

Yugi's eyes opened wide.

"Where is he?"

"Near my tomb."

"Ah, I wonder what he's doing there?"

"Hmm I wonder if that's where he's been hiding out?"

"Could be, when are we leaving?"

"First thing tomorrow morning. Mokuba is picking us up in the morning."

"Well I'd better get us packed and ready."

"Sorry." Said Yami feeling useless again but Yugi smiled.

"It's fine really but first I'll dress you."

It had been six weeks since their release from hospital and Yugi had become very efficient at caring for Yami. They had also been practicing their telepathic link and were able to do it with hardly any concentration. Neither of them really felt ready to face Kaiba yet but they knew they must. Kaiba must be getting close to his goal of using the items and combining them for great power as The Millenium Puzzle had spent the last couple of weeks glowing at random intervals so they both knew something big was about to happen. The glowing had become more frequent of late and they had mentally urged Mokuba to hurry. Their friends had visited regularly but as time went on conversation had become strained as each one became lost in the thoughts of what Kaiba might be planning. They were all going to face Kaiba together just as they had faced things in the past and had always come through. But then, they had never faced the power of the millennium items when all placed together.

Both Yami and Yugi had little sleep that night. They clung to each other wishing that they could stay where they were and not have to go through this and risk losing each other again.

"If you die Yami," Yugi had whispered, "I will follow you."

"Only when Kaiba is destroyed."

Yugi had nodded and knew that Yami wouldn't stop him following him in death same as he knew Yami would follow him such was their love. They were two halves of a whole. One simply could not live without the other. There was no lovemaking that night, they simply held each other close finding comfort in themselves and each other.

At 6am the following morning they were ready. Mokuba's limo was already full of their friends and as soon as their luggage and Yami's chair was put into the trunk at the back they were off. There was no laughing or joking as each knew the daunting task ahead. They all had their Duel Disks with them and would occasionally get their decks out to study them and try and prepare themselves for any eventuality.

"Be prepared for anything." Yami warned. He was the only one who knew truly how terrible the power of the Millennium Items was and he had refrained from telling them just how devastating it could be – even Yugi didn't truly know.

Yami remembered a time when he was Pharaoh before Duel Monsters was sealed away when an entire city had been flattened by one blast from the combined items. Thousands of people had been wiped out in an instant and it had been one of the darkest days the world had ever known. 'Until now' he thought. Fear stabbed at him and he clutched the Puzzle, which Yugi had hung round his neck to keep hold of for a while. They shared the responsibility of wearing the Puzzle. Yugi took hold of his dark's hand and squeezed it.

'Whatever happens,' He said through their link 'We will never be parted again.'

'No, the puzzle is waiting – If we die trying to stop him.'

'Yes.'

They both knew this was likely but neither minded so long as they stayed together. Yami recalled the anguish he had felt when Yugi had sacrificed himself to save him and one thing was sure – he never wanted to feel like that again!

They arrived at the airport and checked in to wait. Yugi excused himself and Yami and pushed his koi over to the restaurant for a meal. This might be their last chance to do something together like this and they wanted to make the most of it.

They ordered and sat down to wait. While they waited, they discussed duelling strategies and reminded themselves of everything they learned when they used to duel. They both hoped that it was going to be okay and as Yugi pointed out, neither of them were seriously injured this time and should be able to stand whatever Kaiba could throw at them.

"We have to stop him at all costs." Yami said his voice serious and quiet. "Even if it means killing him."

"I know, we shall succeed, I have faith in both of us, and our deck." He said putting his hands over the cards that were on the table."

Yami's hands joined his.

"I have faith also aribou." He said.

After their meal was done, they wondered back to the others who had ordered a pizza between them and the empty box was discarded on a seat. They were all dozing as they waited to board the plane but sat up when they realised that Yugi and Yami had returned.

Their flight was suddenly announced as boarding and they collected their belongings and made their was to the gates.

A few hours later they touched down at the airport in Egypt and found that Mokuba had ordered some cars to take them to Yami's tomb. He had suggested a private jet but Yami had said that might make Kaiba pick up on them and travelling in public was less conspicuous.

There was silence in the cars as they drove across the desert. Each was wrapped up in his or her own thoughts. Yami had his arm round Yugi who was resting his head on his koi's chest, Serenity and Duke were also holding each other, Joey was inspecting and shuffling his deck nervously as was Tristen and Mokuba just sat and stared straight ahead. Tea watched him for a moment before putting her arm round him and giving him a hug. He allowed himself to be hugged and when she let him sit up again, there were tears in his eyes.

"Today we're going to put a stop to my brother's evil plans. He's not my brother anymore – he's someone else. For me my brother died the day he vanished and I was able to lay his memory to rest. The man that came the other day was a madman in my brother's body, he must be stopped."

Yugi knew that this was going to be hardest on Mokuba because he and his brother had been so close and he hoped that when it came to the crunch, that he would be able to go through with it.

'He will aribou.' Came Yami's voice in his mind.

'Oh! Did I say that out loud?'

'Only in your mind.' Yami grinned.

Dark clouds gathered in the skies as they drew nearer to Yami's tomb and the site of where Kaiba was hiding. They knew Kaiba probably knew they were coming now and would be ready to meet them when they arrived so each prepared themselves. Yami looked worriedly at the gathering storm clouds.

"His power will be great." He said and they all nodded. They all knew that the only one Kaiba would really want to duel was Yami because he had never beaten him and would want to do it just before he did whatever he was planning. But they weren't going to let Yami duel alone! They could all duel very well – even Serenity who had taken lessons and had even won a few minor tournaments much to Joey's delight. He was so proud of his sister and even approved when she said she wanted to marry Duke. They had been married for five years now and were still as happy as they had been when they married.

Tristen had been jealous at first but he had eventually come to realise that it was Serenity's choice and now he and Duke were good friends. Tea and Joey had married the year before and even had a daughter who was staying with tea's family while they made this trip. It was for his daughter's sake that Joey was determined that Tea at least should survive this encounter. Gone was the cocky duellist at Battle City and other tournaments to be replaced by a more serious and quiet duellist who liked to plan ahead and avoid disasters on the field. Yugi had asked why, and Joey had explained that having a child really makes you look at your attitude towards things in a totally different light.

The cars carried on across the desert following the satellite navigation system, which had been programmed with Kaiba's signal and beeped on the driver's dashboard. As they approached the location a massive black mountain rose up in front of them. Rising up out of the ground like some huge monster ready to devour all of them.

"His power has grown an incredible amount." Said Yami

"The Millennium Items did that?" Said Tea dumbstruck.

"Yes and that's not all they can do. The power inside almost destroyed the world until I put a stop to it. It could have been a lot worse." Yami was looking worried which unnerved everyone. They had expected Yami to be strong when faced with this as he had faced all this before but Yami was remembering what had happened on that day.

He had sealed the games away and his own soul on the process thus saving the world however, when he had done this, everyone else had been killed who was nearby. He had seen the devastation and bloodied, decapitated bodies as his soul had been drawn into the puzzle. There was no way he wanted his friends to suffer the same fate as those people had. He sighed and stared out the window at the mountain as it loomed over them.

'Here goes nothing.' He thought and signalled to Mokuba that they should stop here and go the rest of the way on foot.

Mokuba tapped the glass separating them from the driver and the car came to a stop followed by the other car.

Yugi busied himself with Yami's chair and wondered if it would push over the desert okay. He set it up and put Yami into it before attempting to push the chair. It wouldn't budge.

"Oh damn." He said, "I'll carry you then and someone can push the empty chair."

"You sure aribou? I'm no lightweight."

"It's fine really, we can stop if I get tired."

"We can take it in turns." Piped up Joey and Yami nodded.

"It's a better idea Yugi, then no one will get too worn out – we'll need all our strength to fight Kaiba."

"Alright, well I'll take first turn." He picked his koi up in his arms and the group moved off towards the black mountain.

In his lair, Kaiba watched the group approaching his mountain on his many monitors. He smirked and narrowed his eyes, one of which held the millennium eye and the other glowed a brilliant red colour. He spotted something he didn't expect and moved into the monitors for a closer look.

"What's this? Yugi is carrying the Pharaoh?" Then he saw the wheelchair. "So he is a cripple. A weak, ineffective and useless cripple." He chuckled to himself and rubbed his hands, which glowed with the power that was inside of him. "Crushing him will be such a pleasure." And he threw his head back and laughed a truly evil laugh.


	9. Chapter 9 The Black Mountain

Chapter 9 – Confrontations

The group approached the massive black mountain in silence. There was an entrance into it visible to them now as they were quite close. The ground solidified from the soft sand and became hard stone. Tristen was carrying Yami at this point and set him down into his chair. He flexed his arms and attached his Duel Disk to the left one. They all followed suit and attached theirs.

"Here goes." Said Yugi and began to push Yami towards the entrance of the mountain. Once inside they found it to be fairly light. There was no obvious power source and the very walls seemed to glow and dance with energy.

"This is all the power of the items, it is contained in this mountain for now but once Kaiba decides to release it, the results will be truly devastating – for the world" Said Yami studying the energy closely. He turned to Mokuba.

"He has so much power inside of him that his appearance may have changed from what you remember." Mokuba nodded slowly secretly feeling relieved that Seto might look different, as it would make it easier for him when it came to crunch time.

They made their way along the passage and eventually it opened on a large cavern.

"We must be close to the centre of the mountain." Said Yami quietly and as he did a dias rose up in the centre with someone on it.

Everyone stared as it was undoubtedly Seto Kaiba standing on it as it rose up out of the ground, but it wasn't the Seto they remembered. His one eye glowed bright red and his face was a mask of twisted evil. He had replaced his white trench coat with a black one and it billowed round him, blown with a wind borne of true power. From head to foot his entire body glowed and bright blue flames danced all over him. His face broke into a twisted smile that made Tea and Serenity shiver in fear.

"I would say welcome, but you are not welcome here." His voice was low and deep sounding very different from the Kaiba they remembered and more like a demon than anything.

"The only think that is welcome here is that." And he pointed at the Millennium puzzle, which glowed and quite suddenly was ripped from yami's neck, breaking the chain and causing Yami to cry out as he was yanked forwards. Yugi grabbed him before he tumbled to the ground and they all watched in horror as the puzzle flew into Kaiba's waiting hands where is shone with a fierce white light.

"Now I have all the items I need thanks to you. However I do not need you!"

"Fine you have my puzzle, exactly what are you plotting Kaiba?" Yami's voice was low and there was a growl to it. Yugi had heard this voice before and knew that if he carried on his darker side would surface and if there was one thing that Yugi hated, it was Yami's darker side.

"Well I could tell you since you will not survive this night cripple." At this everyone gasped and stared at Yami whose eyes had begun to burn in anger.

"What did you call me?" he growled.

"I called you a cripple, a useless, weak cripple. You cannot hope to stop me. Look at you, you can't even walk! You're no good to anyone!" Kaiba threw his head back and laughed loudly while Yami's eyes burned in fury.

"Well he is good enough for me Kaiba you bastard! Together we will all stop you." Yelled Yugi, furious that Kaiba had called Yami a cripple. Oh he was going to pay for that big time.

"I don't think so 'little' Yugi." He taunted. "But then I can't call you little anymore can I since the cripple is now shorter than you!" Yugi felt a rage such as he had never known and he charged at Kaiba.

"I'LL KILL YOU FOR THIS!" he screamed but he didn't get too far as a bolt of energy left Kaiba's hand and hit Yugi flinging him against the wall with force. His limp body slid down and lay on the floor unmoving.

"Kaiba what have you done?" Whispered Joey as he stared at the still and unmoving form of his best friend.

"Who wants to join him?" Kaiba said looking at the rest of the group. Nobody moved. "Ha I thought so. Now in order to attain maximum power and fulfil my plans there is one more thing that I need." So saying he jumped from the dias and onto the ground. In his hand was a cup bearing the Millennium Symbol on the front.

Yami eyed the cup his orbs still a burning fiery red.

"What is that for?" asked Tristen, fear clear in his voice.

"Kaiba I thought you just wanted to beat Yugi in a duel!" said Serenity tears running down her face as she kept glancing at Yugi who still hadn't moved.

"It's too late for that little girl." He sneered, now I have much bigger fish to fry like building the world to my own design! I will destroy this world and create another virtual world, which will be designed exactly how I want it and in that world I will be the world's number one duellist!" He punched the air as he said it and Mokuba hung his head ashamed that this madman in front of him had once been his brother.

"Now then," Kaiba continued. "I don't believe you need those anymore do you?" So saying he pulled out a shotgun and fired.

Serenity and Tea screamed as blood sprayed them. The others cried out and Yami looked down in utter horror and disbelief as he watched seemingly in slow motion as the remains of his right leg separated from the knee down and exploded. It happened in a fraction of a second, but to Yami it seemed to take a lifetime.

He felt no pain just the jolt as the blast had hit him and blew his chair back a few yards only to be grabbed by Joey who was looking horrified.

Yami couldn't quite get his head round what Kaiba had done and done so calmly. Tea and Serenity were holding onto one another and crying and the whole group was sprayed with his blood.

"By Ra Kaiba what have you done." He whispered and saw Kaiba smirk and walk up to him.

"The one thing left that I needed Pharaoh, was your blood." He stooped and placed a cup to the hideous wound and gathered a full cup. As soon as he had done, he strode over to a table where there was a tray with the Millennium items on it and retrieving the puzzle from where he had left it on the dias, he placed it in the centre of the tray.

Quick as he could, Tristan whipped off his coat and pressed it to Yami's leg in an attempt to stem the flow of blood from the wound. Yami was beginning to feel weak from blood loss, which ran over the floor in little gory rivers.

He had to know if his hikari was alive or not and took the opportunity to say to Joey "Please see if Yugi lives." Joey nodded and rushed over to the wall. He knelt next to Yugi and placed two fingers to his throat.

Yami was hoping against hope that his light was alive but knew it was a futile hope when he caught sight of Joey's face.

"No…Please, he can't be gone, not now I need him so much." Tears rolled down his face as Joey bowed his head and wept himself for Yugi. This time he knew, there would be no coming back.

Kaiba had started to pour Yami's blood onto the tray where it ran into little dips that held it at the base of each item. He turned to look at them and the group shrank back in fear, all except Yami who looked at Kaiba defiantly.

"You will pay for what you have done Kaiba." He spat.

"Ahhh missing your little boyfriend are we? Never mind, you will soon be joining him in the Shadow Realm. But first you can watch me take down your friends one by one." He smirked.

"Kaiba you have to stop this! I can sense that you have not been fully overtaken by the Millennium Items! Think of your brother Mokuba, he loved you and you betrayed him, think of the innocent people you are going to destroy. Please Kaiba I know the real you is in there somewhere!" Yami was shouting desperate to slow Kaiba down.

"Foolish Pharaoh, You honestly think I care? All that matters to me is gaining the recognition I deserve and the only way to do that is to create my own universe! And one more thing, I have no family."

At these words, Mokuba collapsed on the floor and a strangled cry came from his throat. Yami knew those words must have hurt him more than anything else and he curled into a tight ball sobbing bitterly.

"Pathetic worm." Sneered Kaiba and pointed a finger, which began to glow at the form of Mokuba on the floor.

"KAIBA NO!" Yelled Yami, but he was too late. A bolt of energy shot from Kaiba's finger and hit Mokuba who was blown backwards across the floor and onto his back. When the smoke from the blast had cleared, Mokuba's eyes were wide open and staring in shock at the ceiling. But his eyes were sightless and would never see again, nor would his heart beat inside his chest as his soul had departed for the shadow realm and like Yugi, there would be no return.

Kaiba threw his head back and laughed insanely while the remaining friends clung to each other in terror.

Yugi woke in his dark room and rubbed his eyes. He remembered being blasted by Kaiba just before he blacked out. 'Am I unconscious?' he wondered and found his way to the door.

Opening it he stepped outside and looked across to Yami's closed door. 'I hope he's alright' thought Yugi and his own door closed behind him with a small click. He turned round at the noise and was greeted with a bare wall. The door to his body was gone!

Realisation sunk in. Kaiba's energy blast had killed him and he knew Yami would be devastated but at the same time he remembered their promise to each other that if one died, the other would follow. 'He will destroy Kaiba and then join me.' He thought and comforted, he settled down to wait.

Suddenly a pain shot through his right leg and he screamed in pain. Kaiba had done something to Yami! He just knew it and he was stuck here unable to help. 'Please be safe my koi.' He whispered through the tears of pain that ran down his face. The pain subsided after a while and he began to pace up and down.

Somewhere near him a door slammed and sounded hollow in this huge place. He jumped and yelled.

"Whose there?"

"Yugi?" Came a familiar voice and Yugi gasped as Mokuba came into view.

"Mokuba! How did you get in here?"

"Where are we Yugi? This place is weird! I woke up in a dark room and when I found the door I was here."

"Mokuba did your door vanish after you went through it?"

"Yeah it did, Yugi what's going on? Where are we?"

"This is the maze inside of the Millenium Puzzle. This is where Yami used to live while he and I shared the same body. I expected to arrive here but I have no idea how you ended up here. Your door vanishing though means you can't return to the real world."

"You mean I'm dead?"

Yugi nodded and Mokuba hung his head.

"It was Seto. He said he had no family and then pointed his finger at me and I ended up here."

"Oh Mokuba I'm so sorry."

"It's okay Yugi, my brother died for me a long time ago. OH! Yugi, Seto did something to Yami. Something bad."

"I know it was his right leg wasn't it?"

"How do you know?" Mokuba was astonished.

"We have a special link, we can feel each other like we are as one, we feel each other's pain, heartache and joy. I felt terrible pain in my right leg under my knee and I knew Kaiba had come something to him."

"Wow you two really are two halves of a whole. Yes he did do something terrible. He…He shot him."

Yugi closed his eyes and could feel Yami's shock and horror. He was glad that he hadn't seen it though feeling it had been bad enough!

"Yami and I made a promise that if one of us died, the other would follow. That is his room there, if we wait, he will come."

"But if all of us die, how will Kaiba be stopped?"

"I don't know Mokuba, I just don't know." Yugi shook his head and together they sat down to wait and see what would happen next.


	10. Chapter 10 It All Ends Here

Chapter 10 – The End of The End

The remaining members of the group clung to each other knowing that their fate was to join Yugi and Mokuba in death because Kaiba wasn't going to allow any of them to live. Of this they were certain. They looked at the tray with the items on it as each one glowed and sucked up the blood that was in the little basin at the end of each one.

Each item rose up from the tray and began to move round the room in a large circle round Kaiba and each item glowed brilliant white before shooting a beam of light at him to power him up even more than he was already.

"This is bad." Yami said. "We are no longer able to stop him. My friends I believe this is the end for us."

"Yami! Don't give up. Yugi wouldn't have given up! He never gave up right up till the end." Said Tea and with that she charged at Kaiba who saw her and his eyes burned with a white light before he send another devastating energy blast that threw her against a nasty looking spike on the wall.

Everyone closed their eyes, unable to watch as Tea's body was impaled in the vicious spike and she screamed as her soul left her and her body hung limp and bleeding.

Serenity screamed and buried her face in her hands.

"You bastard Kaiba, she had a daughter who you have just rendered motherless!" growled Yami.

"Like I care." Growled Kaiba in his demonic voice. "Soon everyone will be wiped out and I will build my own world!"

"Not if I can help it!" Said Yami his voice barely audible but Kaiba heard it and laughed.

"You? What can you do? Nothing, that's what. Let's see how well you think you can beat me without that chair!" Kaiba stretched out his hand and a hand of white light appeared in front of him and moved towards Yami's chair.

"NO!" yelled Joey and jumped in front of Yami to try and stop the hand but it drew back and swiped at Joey who flew across the room and crashed into the wall breaking his neck and ending his life.

Yami had no time to be upset by this as the hand shot towards his chair and grabbed it. It had grown big enough to pick up the chair and hold it aloft. Tristen who had been holding his blood soaked coat to Yami's ruined leg, couldn't hold on and fell to the ground taking the coat with him and ripping open the wound fully again. Blood ran from his wound again and onto Tristen below him who scrambled out the way repulsed and horrified at having a fresh lot of blood pour down onto him.

Kaiba laughed at Yami's scared face. In his chair, he was vulnerable and he dreaded to think what Kaiba was going to do to him.

Quite suddenly the hand twisted and tipped him out of the chair. He fell to the ground some fifty feet below him screaming and thinking that this must be the end for him. He closed his eyes and waited for the crunch.

It never came.

Yami landed on something soft and strong arms were holding him tight. Puzzled, he opened his eyes and looked right into the piercing blue eyes of his Dark Magician.

"But how?" he hadn't drawn a card. The Dark Magician smiled at him.

"Your fear summoned me my pharaoh. I felt it and it was strong enough to draw me to you. However the evil one's power is too strong and I cannot stay." Even as he said this, he began to fade and just about managed to set Yami on the ground before fading.

"Wait! Dark Magician do you know a way to stop the evil one?"

"Your Puzzle and your name is the key to ending this." Came the voice of his most loyal and favourite monster from his deck just before he vanished completely.

"My Puzzle is the key? But how? What must I do?"

"You're still alive cripple?" Kaiba growled. "Well in that case another of your friends can die in your place!"

"NO! PLEASE STOP KAIBA!" screamed Yami but it was to no avail and bolts of white lightening shot from Kaiba's eyes and hit Serenity in the chest burning a hole right through her. She stood there stunned for a moment and whispered "you can beat him Yami. I have faith in you" before she fell forwards and lay still.

"SERENITY NO!" yelled Duke and fell to his knees sobbing for his lost love. Yami reached out to him from where he lay on the floor, his stump still bleeding. He was beginning to feel light headed from the massive blood loss and was hoping that he would be able to last out long enough to destroy Kaiba but with every passing minute he was growing weaker and Kaiba was growing stronger.

There was only himself, Tristen and Duke left to fight now and Yami's hopes were fading. Duke felt the touch of Yami's hand on his arm and looked at him through the wall of tears.

"I loved her so much." He said and Yami nodded.

"I know my friend. I think this time Kaiba has won."

"I have won!" said Kaiba and stared down at the three on the ground. The beans of light had stopped and Kaiba was now fully powered up with the Millennium items and they resumed simply circling him and glowing.

"You can be the first to witness my rise to power Pharaoh! I am more powerful than you ever were! Watch as I destroy the world and everyone in it!"

"You are not stronger than I" Yami said. "I have the power to stop you right now!" 'I just wish I could figure out how' he added to himself.

"That so? Well let's see how well you use these so called powers of yours when you are dead!"

He raised both of his hands and gathered energy inside of them before releasing it at the three figures on the ground. Yami smiled as he died. His Puzzle was the key and the power in the Puzzle lay inside it. He needed to get inside and in order for him to do that he had to die or be rendered unconscious. As he died, he silently begged forgiveness from Tristen and Duke for making them die too and he felt his head connect with the wall and begin to cave in as his body slammed into it. 'I'm coming my koi' he thought as he blacked out to the sounds of Kaiba's maniacal laughter.

Yami awoke in his dark room and stretched. Time was of the essence and his Dark Magician had given him just the clues he needed to beat Kaiba. He just hoped that He and Yugi would be strong enough. He sat up and swung his legs off the bed and stood up. It felt good to be able to walk again and he went to the door and opened it. His mouth fell open in shock as he caught sight of all his friends outside in the passage waiting for him. Tristen and Duke were there as well and were looking round bewildered and confused as Yugi tried to explain to them what had happened. Yami stepped through the door, which closed behind him and vanished. He looked round and saw it had gone and he nodded knowing full well what it meant.

"We have to try and beat Kaiba." Said Yugi his face set into a frown. Yami nodded.

"Yes the Dark Magician reminded me of what I need. The key to his defeat is this Puzzle and my name."

Yugi nodded remembering what had happened when Yami had used his name the last time – the power of the Millennium Puzzle had been released and he had been able to use it.

"This time the power is greater." Said Yami. "The Items are even more powerful due to my blood and I think it will require all of us to work together to beat him."

Everyone nodded.

"This could destroy us all my friends." He warned and Serenity spoke up a fire in her voice that no one had heard before.

"He has to be stopped Yami! I am with you all the way."

Yami nodded gratefully his face deadly serious knowing that his friends were probably giving up any hope they had of returning to their bodies after this was over. Even though the doors to them had vanished, there might have been another way.

Everyone nodded following Serenity's lead, their faces set and serious.

"For you Kaia." Whispered Joey knowing his little girl would be devastated when him and Tea didn't return to her.

Yami led everyone to a larger area of the maze and they stood in a circle.

"Now join hands." The former Pharaoh commanded and they did so. "Whatever happens, do not break this circle. It is a circle of true friendship and with it comes true power in a way that Kaiba cannot hope to ever understand!"

They stood in the circle and close their eyes concentrating fully on their friendship. Mokuba felt inside him a warm rush of love and closeness and added his own feelings to the pool that was forming in the middle of their feelings as they poured them out.

The feelings and emotions swirled around in the middle of the circle in a blaze of colour. Each person's feeling and emotion was a different hue and the group opened their eyes and gasped at its beauty.

"Coupled with the power that this puzzle grants me, this pool of friendship will be enough to destroy Kaiba. AND NOW" he shouted "I PHARAOH ATEMU DEMAND THE FULL POWER OF THE MILLENNIUM PUZZLE!"

Everyone watched as light shone round Yami and the Millennium Symbol glowed on his head. They looked round at each other and saw that they all had the Symbol glowing on their heads. They all felt the power of the Puzzle flow into them from Yami and they all began to glow as power filled them.

"Now it is time to finish this my friends." Yami said and they all concentrated hard, projecting themselves into the real world….

Kaiba was standing on his dais gloating over his enemy's demise. 'They were no match for me.' He thought 'Not even that pathetic useless Pharaoh. Powerful was he? I don't believe a word of it!'

He had been practising his aim with his energy bolts on various objects and points inside the cave and he was now satisfied with it. The Millennium Items were still encircling him and he reached up to put a stop to the circle and put the items safely into his case which he had had designed especially for this purpose. But before he could touch the Puzzle, which had been the first object he was going to take, it began to change colour and glowed red. He watched in surprise as a beam of red light came from either side of the Puzzle and connected with the Items on either side of it. Energy pulsed down the red beam as it made the first two items glow and each released another beam of red light that connected with the next Items and so on until all seven items were joined and glowed.

A yellow ball of energy came forth from the Puzzle's eye and moved round to the Millennium Ring. The ball took shape and began to form into a person. Serenity's spirit appeared with the Millennium Symbol glowing on her forehead and grasped the ring with both hands. Her eyes burned white hot and Kaiba gazed at her in surprise.

"What's this?" He growled, unnerved by the sight of someone he'd just killed coming back but he had no time to wonder fully as two more balls of yellow energy appeared and made their way round to the Scales and the Eye where they formed into Joey and Mokuba's spirits also with the Symbol glowing on them.

Kaiba watched open-mouthed as the spirits of Tea, Tristen and Duke also came out. Tea grabbed the Necklace, Tristen grabbed the Rod and Duke grabbed the Ankh. They looked down on Kaiba and then towards the puzzle awaiting the arrival of the last two spirits.

They emerged as one ball of energy and split into two halves. One moved to the puzzle and formed into Yugi and the other rose up above the circle and formed into Yami.

"Now it is time for you to feel real power Kaiba!" Yami lifted up his arms and drew out the pool of friendship that they had created inside the puzzle.

"What's that?" Kaiba asked beginning to look worried. This Pharaoh had more power than he had imagined – he had thought that it was a lie but now he knew it was not and he could see his plans dying before his very eyes.

"This is a pool of love and friendship created by myself and my friends, this coupled with the power I can command from my Millennium Puzzle will spell your destruction Kaiba!"

"NO!" Kaiba yelled and shot a bolt of energy at the pool but instead of damaging it, the pool absorbed the energy and became more powerful as a result.

Kaiba was looking more worried as the seven spirits holding onto the items began to move towards him slowly.

Yami began to lower his hands and the pool began to lower onto Kaiba's head burning him and making him scream in agony.

"Nooooooo! I was so close!" he cried out as the items were pushed towards him and the pool wrapped itself round him and he continued to scream as his body was burned up and finally exploded spraying him everywhere.

The eight spirits looked at each other and smiled as their eyes returned to normal but something was happening. With the body holding all the energy in it gone, there was nothing to contain it and bolts of wild uncontrollable energy began to fire off in all directions.

Yami held up his hands again and made a series of movements. A net of energy appeared and Yami sent it up to capture the energy and trap it. The Millennium Symbol was again glowing on everyone's foreheads and they were concentrating on the net, helping Yami to guide it.

Eventually all the energy was captured and Yami began to move the net into the middle of the ring of Items. He made more movements with his hands and a magical casket appeared and opened. He made the net go into the box and closed the lid on it locking it with a string of Egyptian words.

The mountain around them was breaking up and rocks were falling from the ceiling. One fell and cut the energy circle that the Millenium Items had made. Yami drew the seven spirits with him back into the puzzle just as the roof caved in and the entire mountain collapsed on top of the items.

Back inside the Puzzle, everyone was smiling and hugging each other. They had done it! Their friendship and the pharaoh's power had stopped Kaiba and they were all together inside the Puzzle. Then Tea looked at herself.

"I'm fading!" She gasped and sure enough her image was beginning to fade.

"Tea!" Yugi cried and Joey tried to grab her but his hands went right through her. It was then he realised that his own image was fading. Yami looked sad.

"The power of the puzzle sustained you all while you were needed to stop the evil threatening the world. Now the evil is gone, you must leave." He hung his head and tears pricked Yugi's eyes.

"Goodbye my friends, I will never forget you." He whispered as one by one, his friends vanished waving and in Serenity and Joey's case, crying.

Yugi sank to the ground sobbing and Yami knelt next to him.

"I'm sorry aribou, I suspected that this might happen but didn't want to upset you in case I was wrong." He held his Aribou closely and kissed his hair.

"We have an eternity of each other though." He said and Yugi looked at him smiling through his tears and nodded. No matter where he was or what happened he would always have Yami by his side, now and forever. He would never forget his friends but he knew as he snuggled into Yami's embrace, that he would never be lonely again.

Owari (end)

Yami and Yugi: Oh! A happy ending of sorts apart from everyone leaving…

Yami Seirei: Yes well I figured you two like time to yourselves anyway heh.

Yami: Too right we do! '**Kisses Yugi'** Isn't that right aribou?

Yugi: Yep definitely. Can you wonderful readers out there please review this story, Yami Seirei MIGHT have a sequel planned but she is unsure yet so if you liked this and would like a follow up involving Joey's daughter – then please review this.

Yami Seirei: Yes there is a strong possibility of a follow up to this story so we'll see Thanks for reading and I hope you got as much enjoyment out of reading it as I did writing it!

THANKS!


End file.
